Thomas Edward Call

1935 - 2025

Thomas Edward Call, Jr., 89, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at his home in Alexandria, Virginia. He experienced an acute onset of Lewy Body dementia with the complication of aspiration.

Tom was born on June 26, 1935, to Thomas E. Call, Sr. and Helen (Sardy) Call in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He enjoyed an idyllic childhood and blossomed socially after junior high. Upon graduating from Portsmouth High School in 1953, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Busan, Korea and Yokohama, Japan towards the end of the Korean War.

Tom began his career at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in 1958 while raising a family. After working as a letter carrier for 15 years, he rose through the ranks in management. His career took him from Portsmouth to Auburn, Maine, to New York City, Chicago, and eventually Washington, DC. In DC, he worked at the USPS Headquarters as the national director of city and rural delivery. Leading a team known as "Call's Crusaders," he introduced a series of reforms to encourage employee participation in developing integrated systems to improve efficiency and cut costs. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Tom was active in the civic affairs of New Castle, New Hampshire. He served as chairman of the school board and was elected president of the Parent Teacher Association of Maude H. Trefethen Elementary School. Goal-oriented and driven by his annual resolutions, Tom credited his success to the book, The Lazy Man's Way to Riches, his personal bible.

Retiring from the USPS in 1988, Tom did not stop being active. He volunteered at a youth shelter, This Way House, in Alexandria. He also worked with Vietnamese immigrants in Arlington, Virginia. Passionate about real estate, he rehabilitated many old houses in distressed areas long before the concept of "flipping" became popular. He took pride in home ownership and enjoyed being known as an ombudsman for the neighborhood. He earned the loving nickname "Mayor of the Block".

Among friends and families, Tom was known for his attention to detail, strong opinions, a unique brand of sarcasm, and a New England accent that he could not seem to shake. Tom was obsessed with cars throughout his life, with a particular soft spot for Jaguar convertibles. He enjoyed gardening, world travels, and a daily dose of The Washington Post, especially the obituary and comics sections. He was fondly remembered by a succession of stray cats he fostered, all of whom were named Bobbie. In his 80s, Tom finally attained public recognition. On every one of his outings, strangers would approach him and remark on his uncanny resemblance to Stan Lee, a cartoonist who created iconic superheroes such as Spider Man. While Tom took it as a compliment, he would rather have been compared to Brad Pitt.

In 1957, Tom married his high school sweetheart, Margaret (Jacques) Jacobson, with whom he had three children: Marcia Call (Lonnie Rich) of Alexandria, Virginia, Mark Call (Gail Coish) of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, and Michael Call (Carol Wilshire Call) of Scarborough, Maine. His second marriage to Ellen Wagner ended in divorce. In 2015, Tom married Xiaodong Zhang, his life partner of 29 years on his 80th birthday and the day the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. With a 34-year difference in age and coming from different racial and cultural backgrounds, they were known affectionally as "The Odd Couple". But within the family, they were Poppi I and II. Tom was happy to lead a wonderful life and did it My Way, as chronicled in his memoir of the same name.

In addition to his spouse and three children, Tom is survived by five granddaughters: Kristyn Call, Kelsey Rummel, Meg Maguire, Catherine Call, Mattie Rich; three great grandchildren: Kenley and Lachlan Rummel and Karson Clough; as well as his sister, Joyce Vinciguerra. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert Call, and his sister Barbara Brock.

A visitation and service will be held on Monday, February 17, 2025 at Demaine Funeral Home, 520 South Washington Street, Alexandria, Virginia. Visiting hours will begin at 10 a.m. and will be followed by a service at 11 a.m. Tom will be buried at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria following the service. In accordance with the family's wishes, the graveside service will be a private gathering for close family members only. In lieu of flowers, he requested that donations be made to either the Human Rights Campaign or The Salvation Army.

Tom will be deeply missed by his family and friends.