Thomas J. Connolly

1924 - 2016

Simsbury - Thomas J. Connolly passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, after a full 92-year life.

Born March 27, 1924, in Brighton, Mass., Tom was raised by his two Irish immigrant parents – Andrew and Catherine in South Boston with his brother, William (deceased) and sister, Mary Burke (Dorchester, Mass.).

From an early age, Tom was known to "always have his nose in a book" and was determined to live his life outside of the confines of Southie. After graduating from English High in 1941, Tom volunteered for the Army, and started attending the University of Illinois in Champagne. After his freshman year, Tom was called into active duty and served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Europe until the end of 1944 when he was sent to the Pacific theatre.

After the war, he returned to Boston and enrolled in Northeastern University on the GI bill. He graduated with a degree in civil engineering and started his 40-year career with Shell Oil. In the winter of 1959, he started the most important relationship of his adult life. While skiing with friends in North Conway, N.H., he met a bright, talkative and very energetic young lady from Milton, Mass. - Carol Martin (deceased). He would joke that she sat next to him at dinner, started talking and never stopped! Just over a year later, they married and started a 52-year journey together. (Almost immediately after their wedding, the first stop was a "seven-year honeymoon" in Hawaii, then on to San Rafael, Calif., Brookfield, Wis., Northbrook, Ill, Houston, Texas, and ultimately back to New England and Simsbury in 1975).

On that honeymoon in Hawaii, they had their four children, Maura (Connolly) Egan of Boston, Mass., TJ Connolly of New York, William Connolly of Niantic and Andrew Connolly of Simsbury. Tom was a dedicated father, who supported each of his children academically, athletically and most importantly his rock-solid morals and values. In 1996, Tom and Carol started their favorite phase of that journey when Liam Connolly Egan (currently of Palo Alto, Calif.) was born. They were blessed with five additional grandchildren – Quinn Connolly Egan (Boston, Mass.), Doyle Martin Connolly and Nolan Martin Connolly of Niantic, and Tarrah Amrit Connolly and Declan Ajit Connolly of Simsbury. He was adored and revered by all of his grandchildren.

Tom's last few years was blessed by a supportive team of caregivers who loved and cared for him like family. Tom was also a passionate golfer, an avid skier, a smooth dancer, and a die-hard Red Sox fan who, thanks to his son-in-law, John Egan (Boston), celebrated their first World Series in 86 years at the game in St. Louis in 2004. He loved Simsbury and was an active member of the community at St. Mary's Church, Hop Meadow Country Club, and his dear friends and neighbors on Winterset Lane.

A wake in his honor will held from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Vincent Funeral Home, 880 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. Funeral services will be at 9:15 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12, from the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., at St. Mary's Church in Simsbury. Burial will follow in the Simsbury Cemetery. All are invited to celebrate this incredible life.

Please visit Tom's book of memories at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online condolences.