Thomas J. Saunders

LOWELL -- Thomas J Saunders, 96, a lifelong resident of Lowell and Tewksbury who was the former superintendent and director of Tewksbury State Hospital and a World War II veteran, died Wednesday morning, March 7, at his residence.

He was the loving husband of the late Martha (McQuade) Saunders.

He was born in Lowell, May 31, 1910, son of the late John and Alice (Mahoney) Saunders. He attended Immaculate Conception Grammar School and graduated from Lowell High School in 1929, where he was a member of the baseball team and captain of the football team. He graduated from Holy Cross College in 1933 and was a three-year member of their varsity hockey team.

In 1937, he also became president and treasurer of the John F. Saunders and Sons Supermarket and was elected president of the Lowell Grocers Association during 1940 and 1941.

A veteran of World War II, he entered in the Navy on Dec. 7, 1942, as a lieutenant-junior grade. During World War II, he served as the senior commissary officer at Quonset Point Naval Air Station and retired from the Navy at the rank of lieutenant commander in 1946.

Before retiring, Mr. Saunders was the superintendent and director of Tewksbury State Hospital from 1950 until 1986. His tenure at the hospital was the longest recorded for any such director in Massachusetts. During this time, he initiated and oversaw the creation of a 700-bed hospital building (later dedicated as the Thomas J. Saunders Building), a new laundry facility and a new power plant as well as the renovation and eventual reconfiguration of the hospital from a turn-of-the-century alms house into a modern, chronic and long term care facility. During his directorship he was also the recipient of the Governors' Award for the Volpe Food Program and the Andover-Newton Medal for race relations.

Also during his tenure he was responsible for transferring a considerable amount of acreage to the town of Tewksbury that was used in the creation of numerous schools and playgrounds as well as a police station and a senior center. As a tribute to his aid in this cause, the town dedicated a park and a street in his honor and named him Man of the Year in 1980.

Mr. Saunders was a member of Vesper Country Club since 1937 and a member of the Lowell Lodge of Elks since 1938, as well being a former member of Long Meadow Country Club. He also served as a member of the Lowell Stadium Commission, the President of the Friends of Tewksbury Hospital and a director of the Massachusetts Public Health Museum.

He is survived by a daughter, Hope LoSchiavo of West Newbury, Vt.; a son and daughter-in-law, Thomas J. Saunders Jr. and Susan Saunders of Doylestown, Pa.; his grandchildren, Joy LoSchiavo, Thomas J. Saunders III, Margot Saunders and Keith Saunders.

He also leaves many nieces and nephews, all of which he remained in close contact with throughout his long and rewarding life.