Thomas J.G. Spang

SPANG, Thomas J.G. An avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman, died at home in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts on Saturday, February 28, 2009. Born in Chicago, Illinois on January 31, 1929, he moved with his family to Brookline, Massachusetts in 1938. He attended Dexter School and Milton Academy ('47) where he later co-founded the Korean War Memorial Scholarship, given to a student from a developing country, in memory of his classmates who lost their lives. Milton made a lasting impression on him, fostering in him a love of writing and sports. Summers, Tom attended Camp Wabun, a canoeing and outdoor adventure camp in Canada, where he discovered his other lifelong love: the great outdoors. After graduating from Harvard ('51), he took a post at General Motors in the assembly line and training program before moving to France to work for the Paris Review. From there, he hitchhiked around the world as a stringer for the Boston Globe. His travels took him to many fascinating places from Laos to Tehran, where on one occasion he submitted a picturesque piece about the nightlife, describing in detail the belly dancers and sumptuous food. He promptly received a letter from the editor saying how much he enjoyed the article but because The Boston Globe was a family paper, he would not print it. After his travels, Tom took a position with the Gillette Company in London, where he met his wife Caroline Anne Edward-Collins, and then with Morgan Guaranty Trust in New York City, which sent him to Madrid, Spain. After three years in Madrid, he returned to New York City with his wife, 2 daughters and 50 cases of his favorite Rioja. However, his travels left him with a wanderlust too strong for the constraints of a suit and tie, and he gave them up, first to try his hand at writing, while also working at the United Nations Development Programme, and then to begin his own business, Gametrails Limited. There he was able to combine his love of writing with his love of adventure. He spent many years exploring the world with Caroline and his many friends and clients, scouting for the best wing shooting, fly fishing and local eateries. He spent his summers at his camp in Quebec where he and Caroline, with their dogs at their sides, taught their three children how to use a .22 gauge rifle, paddle the J stroke, portage a canoe, and cast a fly. Tom's kindness, graciousness, humor and sense of adventure will be missed by all. Tom is survived by his wife Caroline, daughters Charlotte and Vanessa, son Thomas, his grandchildren Peter, Benjamin, Alexander, Emily and Isabel, his brother Joseph Peter Spang III, and his dog Binti. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 11:30AM at Milton Academy's Apthorp Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Korean War Memorial Scholarship Fund, Milton Academy, 170 Centre St, Milton, MA 02186 or the Essex County Greenbelt, 82 Eastern Avenue, Essex, MA 01929. Arrangements by Campbell - Lee, Moody, Russell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot Street, BEVERLY. Information, directions, condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com