Thomas J. Gifford

SALEM - Thomas J. Gifford, 77 of Salem, beloved husband of the late Helen J. (Auchterlonie) Gifford, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 15, 2025 at Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers surrounded by his loving family.

Born and raised in Salem with his sisters Joan, Trisha and Gail and his brother Peter, Tom was the son of the late Thomas and Barbara (Matthews) Gifford. He was a graduate of Bishop Fenwick High School, and continued his education at Salem State University. At Salem State, Tom met his wife Helen with whom he would raise three children and spend 54 wonderful years together.

Following a stint in the Coast Guard, Tom was a preschool teacher and director of the Thom Montessori School in Boston, to which he enjoyed bringing his daughter Sally. He then went to business school before founding Beverly Bootstraps, a nonprofit organization to which he dedicated 15 years of his life to help feed, elevate and empower members of the community. Community service was very important to him, and over the years he volunteered with his family at Crombie Street shelter and the Salem Food Pantry, and helped to shelter women and children at HAWC. Following his time at Beverly Bootstraps, he continued to help people by driving for Meals on Wheels in his retirement.
Tom inspired his family to find the joys in life. He loved the ocean, and spent hours on Winter Island on his dingy or working on a boat that was too old to ever see the water. He was wickedly funny, and loved telling jokes. He shared his humor with everyone, and especially enjoyed making children laugh. Tom had a passion for music, though not as something to be taken too seriously, but rather something to be enjoyed in a group of friends. He loved picking up new instruments at yard sales to try - accordions, banjos, guitars, and once even a hammer dulcimer. Tom enjoyed food and travel, and especially the two of them together. Vacations in Maine were spent collecting and eating clams and mussels with his son Jamie, a trip to London was an opportunity to try Indian food with his daughter Sally, and on a trip to Venice with his daughter Amy he spent his time rambling through the open food markets looking for the next dinner to cook.
Surviving Thomas are his children, Sally Gifford of Salem, Amy Gifford of Salem, and Jamie Gifford of Medford; his siblings Joan and Roger Nutting of Temple, New Hampshire, Peter and Nancy Gifford of Salem, Patricia Powers of Salem, his three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

ARRANGMENTS: Relatives and friends are invited to Thomas' visitation which will be held at O'Donnell Cremations – Funerals – Celebrations, 84 Washington Sq., (at Salem Common) SALEM on Thursday August 21st from 4 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. followed by a brief service and military honors at 6:30 P.M. The burial is private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Thomas' memory to Harborlight Homes, PO Box 507, Beverly, MA 01915 - online at harborlighthomes.org/donate/. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.