Thomas Johnson Jr.

1937 - 2020

Thomas W. Johnson Jr., 83, of Broad Brook, beloved husband to Mary Jane (Connor) for 60 years, passed away peacefully at home November 5, 2020. Tom was an articulate, personable and honest man who used those qualities to be a great son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He will fondly be remembered for his love of conversation, whether it was with family or strangers. The endless amount of stories he shared – right up until moments before he passed – served as confirmation to the rich, full life he lived. He thoroughly enjoyed meeting people and learning about their lives, such as where they went to school, where they lived and who were their parents. Tom was born July 9, 1937, to Esther and Thomas Johnson Sr. He grew up on Grove Street in Windsor Locks and learned about hard work early in life while working at his father's funeral home as a teenager. As a student and as a parent, education was always a high priority for Tom. He was a class president at Windsor Locks High School, where he excelled in baseball and basketball. He was a starting guard on the team that reached the 1955 state basketball championship. Tom earned degrees from Bates College in Maine and the University of Hartford. He served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He began a family in Windsor Locks with Mary Jane while starting a career in education that included jobs as a teacher, guidance counselor and interim principal in the Windsor Locks school system. He went on to work for McGraw Hill and then as chief congressional aide to Congressman Toby Moffett. He spent a majority of his career working for United Technologies Corporation, first for its Hamilton Standard unit and then as director of state government affairs for UTC in Hartford and later in Washington, D.C. He was often in state capitals and Congress lobbying for UTC. His job provided opportunities for him and Mary Jane to travel throughout North America, creating lasting memories of visits to New York City, Monterrey and Coeur d'Alene among many others. Tom served on many boards and committees in Washington and Connecticut, including the Charter Oak State College board of governors. In addition to his wife Mary Jane, whose unwavering and devoted care during Tom's later years of poor health attested to the strength of their marriage, Tom is survived by four children and their spouses: Tim and Shawna of Ellington, Mike and Laurie of Windsor Locks, Kate and Bob McCabe of Broad Brook, and Kevin and Sonia of Florida. He cherished spending time with his grandchildren Stephanie, Brittany, Tom, Justin, Nathan, Cecilia, Olivia and Tyler. Tom is also survived by his sister Nancy Hannon. He loved to reminiscence with Nancy about Windsor Locks and discuss UConn basketball. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews, all of whom at some point were on the receiving end of his good-natured needling. Tom received great joy from his rescue Newfoundland dogs, Lili and Beau. He was in his glory walking those "gentle giants" on the beach during winters at the family's condo in St. Augustine, Fla. George, another rescue dog in the family in later years, always put Tom in a good mood. Tom was an avid golfer who belonged to Oak Ridge Golf Club in Feeding Hills, Mass., where he made three holes-in-one. He knew he was fortunate to have been able to play Pebble Beach a handful of times. Scores didn't matter much to him; he was more interested in the banter and camaraderie he shared with his golf buddies and being able to play 9 or 18 with his sons and grandsons. He also enjoyed teaching young golfers as head coach of the Granby High School boys golf team. Tom's final years would have been far more difficult had it not been for the dedicated and compassionate care provided by his health aides, especially Tina and Flake who created such a beautiful bond with Tom. Those relationships soothed his weariness and often evoked laughter that helped him enjoy life as much as he could. The family is forever grateful to Tina and Flake. Services, including a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary Church in Windsor Locks, where Tom served as an altar boy as a youngster, are private. Burial will be at St. Mary Cemetery on Spring Street in Windsor Locks. Windsor Locks Funeral Home has care of arrangements. Memorial donations in Tom's memory may be made to: That Newfoundland Place, Inc., 554 Pucker Street, Coventry, CT 06238 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl., Memphis, Tenn., 38105 or stjude.org.