THOMAS A. VANDERSLICE

1932 - 2020

VANDERSLICE, Thomas A. Benefactor and Technology CEO VANDERSLICE, Dr. THOMAS A., 88, formerly of Naples, FL and Fairfield, CT, died peacefully Friday, October 9, 2020 in Delray Beach, FL. He was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Margaret Hurley Vanderslice. Survived by his four sons, Thomas Jr. of Delray Beach, FL, Paul and his wife, Lynne, of Wilton, CT; John and his wife, Janet, of Boynton Beach, FL; and Peter and his wife, Elizabeth, of Manhattan, NY; and nine grandchildren, Thomas III of Bethesda, MD, Nicholas of Hoboken, NJ, Matthew of Bethesda, MD, Paul Jr. of Washington, D.C., Megan of Boston, MA, John Jr., Peter Jr., Audrey and Victoria of Manhattan, NY. Born in Philadelphia, PA on January 8, 1932 to the late Joseph and Mae Vanderslice. A graduate St. Mary's High School, Waltham, MA before earning his Bachelor's of Science degree from Boston College ('53). He received his Ph.D. in Physics and Chemistry from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he was a Fulbright Scholar. Tom was awarded the Bicentennial Medal from Boston College in 1976 and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration from Boston College in 2003. He began his career as a scientist at the General Electric Research and Development Center in Schenectady, NY. He then moved into management, where he held various positions across the country before being named Executive Vice President of General Electric's Power Systems Sector. Tom is credited with over a dozen scientific patents, including the development of a bakeable mass spectrometer instrument. Tom received the Academy of Achievement Golden Plate award in 1962 and was a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Institute of Physics. In 1979, Tom left General Electric to become President and Chief Operating Officer of General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) in addition to serving on their board. In 1984, he became CEO of Apollo Computer and was instrumental in its sale to Hewlett-Packard. He subsequently joined M/A-COM, in 1989, where he served as CEO. Tom was a benefactor to numerous charitable causes. Tom and Margaret met at St. Mary's High School and became supporters of elementary schools, universities and numerous catholic charities. At Boston College in 1989, he established the Margaret A. and Thomas A. Vanderslice Chair in Chemistry, the University's first endowed chair in the physical sciences. In 1995, Tom and Margaret dedicated The Joseph and Mae Vanderslice Residence Hall at Boston College to honor his parents. In 1998, Tom and Margaret established The Joseph T. and Patricia Vanderslice Millennium Chair in Chemistry in honor of his older brother, Joseph, and his wife, Patricia. In 2004, Tom and Margaret established the Fr. William B. Neenan, S.J. Millennium Chair in Economics to honor his service to the school. In 2013, Tom and Margaret endowed the Fr. Francis J. Hurley C.S.C. chair in the biology department at Stonehill College. He also was a benefactor of Catholic University and the Catherine Laboure School of Nursing. Tom served on the Boston College Board of Trustees for seventeen years and as Chairman from 1987-1990. He also served on the Boards of Trustees of Fairfield, Sacred Heart and Clarkson Universities. Tom was a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Boston, W.R. Grace, and became the longest serving board member of Texaco, which was acquired by Chevron Corp. He was a member of the Business Roundtable and involved in various industry associations, including the Massachusetts High Technology Council and the Committee for Economic Development. An avid golfer, Tom was a member of the Connecticut Golf Club in Easton, CT, The Patterson Club in Fairfield, CT, Oyster Harbors Club in Osterville, MA and the Royal Poinciana Golf Club in Naples, FL. He cherished his grandchildren and was always interested in their lives. Visiting hours will be Thursday 4:30 – 7:30 at John-Lawrence Funeral Home, 3778 Falmouth Road, MARSTON MILLS. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Victory Church, 230 Main St., Centerville. Live stream mass available www.olvparish.org. Burial at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, Centerville. Covid-19 restrictions will be observed. Memorial donations suggested to Boston College. https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/alumni.html or by mail to: University Advancement Cadigan Alumni Center, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. For online guestbook, visit www.johnlawrencefuneralhome.com

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