Thomas John Stebbins

Thomas J. Stebbins, Jr., 69, of Middletown, Rhode Island, died on September 26, 2025. He was the husband of Paula (Sullivan) Stebbins.

Born in Quantico, VA on December 13, 1955, He was the son of the late Thomas and Elizabeth (Gray) Stebbins. Tom grew up in a Navy family, and he and his siblings lived in Virginia, Florida, Maine, Hawaii, and Connecticut during their father's service. Their time in Hawaii left an impression on him, and he was so grateful for the opportunity to visit again, this time with Paula in 2008 to renew their wedding vows for their 25th anniversary.

Tom worked for many years at the former Almacs Supermarket as a butcher. When the store closed, he started his own floor refinishing business Coastal Wood Floor Refinishing, which he took great pride in for 15 years. Tom decided in 2018 to go back to his roots of being a butcher at Stop and Shop until retirement in 2023.

Tom enjoyed the simple things in life, like cooking, old movies, hanging out with friends in his garage, playing cards, bowling and pool. Tom loved to entertain at his beloved home in Middletown and cooking memorable meals for his family and friends.

Tom had a true love of the ocean and he really loved being on the water in his fishing boat in his spare time. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed several trips with friends for fishing tournaments or the hunt for the "big one".

He was a former member of the Middletown FOP and was a skilled billiards player, and enjoyed several years of being a baseball umpire in town, during which he and Laura were able to share many evenings together. Tom was a kind and generous man with a heart of gold, always willing to lend a hand to a friend.

Thomas is survived by his wife of 42 years, Paula Stebbins, and a daughter Laura Stebbins and her partner Kevin Hoyt of Exeter, RI. He is survived by four sisters, Catherine Freel, Gail Connor, Theresa Stebbins, and Celeste Soares. Thomas is preceded in death by his parents, a brother Michael Stebbins and a sister Susan Johnson.

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, October 05, 2025 from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM with a prayer service and reflections at 5:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, RI.

Memorial donations may be made to the St. Jude’s Children's Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/