THOMAS JOSEPH NOONAN III

1974 - 2021

NOONAN III, Thomas Joseph On Saturday, October 16, 2021, Thomas Joseph Noonan III unexpectedly passed on from this world at the age of 47. At the time, Thomas was in a plane enroute to do that which he was most passionate about and talented at, skydiving. Thomas passed away in the skies over Tennessee preparing to make a jump he had made thousands of times before. Although he was truly a citizen of the world, Thomas had been living in New Smyrna Beach, Florida and is survived by his loving partner Julie Watkins. They enjoyed walking on the beach, paddle boarding among the dolphins, and flying his plane. Thomas was born in Belmont, MA on February 20, 1974 to Rita Ann (Whalen) and the late Thomas Joseph Noonan, Jr. He is survived by his beloved mother Rita and beloved sister Kelly Ann Noonan of Belmont, cherished aunt Joanne T. Faiola of Arlington, and precious goddaughter Anna C. Deignan of Dracut. He is also survived by many treasured aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Thomas was a 1992 graduate of Belmont High School and graduated from Villanova University in Pennsylvania in 1996. Upon graduating college, Thomas spent several years working in financial services and was off to an auspicious start, however, he was destined to follow a different path. The day he went for a skydive at a local drop zone in Pepperell, MA not only changed his life, but would have a ripple effect on countless lives around the world as well as the sport of skydiving itself. Like everything Thomas did, he approached skydiving with positivity, passion, love, and infectious enthusiasm. He became an industry leader and world record holder; he earned countless accomplishments and accolades and as he traveled the world, he set new standards for tandem skydiving and safety. It is not surprising that after over 8,000 jumps, above all 7 continents, Thomas is known as a guru in the skydiving community. Notably, Thomas was part of a team that set a world record for the highest parachute landing on Mount Everest. He didn't stop there though, he formed relationships with communities within the Himalayas and held a deep respect and appreciation for the Nepalese culture. Thomas cultivated ways to encourage support for his Nepali friends (especially during the challenges of COVID) with various charities and the sale of local art pieces. As Thomas was apt to say, "It's never goodbye, it's always, 'until next time'…" Thomas touched so many lives as a mentor, guide, and friend. He was truly an inspiration to all who had the great fortune to know him. Please join us in remembering and celebrating Thomas' life. Visiting Hours on Monday, November 1, 2021 from 4-8p.m. in the Stanton Funeral Home, 786 Mt. Auburn St. (Rt.16), WATERTOWN. Funeral Mass in the Church of St. Luke, 132 Lexington St., Belmont on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 10a.m. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. In the world of aviation vernacular, "Thomas has flown West" and we wish you blue skies and tailwinds in your next journey. In lieu of flowers, please donate in memory of Thomas, Himalayan Rescue Association- Tom Noonan Honor Fund:https://gofund.me/62a99416, The Joey Fund- The Joey Fund:https://joeyfund.org/, Punya Thyroid Cancer Research Foundation- ThyCARE-Punya Fund- https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/thycare/home/punya-foundation

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