August 23, 2021
August 23, 2021
I admired Tom and his gentle demeanor, his work ethic, and his family legacy to his children. They have a fine role model, and reason to be proud of him. He will be missed on his West Coast getaways.
Thomas W. Gill, 89, died at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis MA on 5/10/2021 due to complications from a stroke.
Tom is survived by his sons Tom of Imperial Beach, CA, and Todd of Harvard, MA, his daughter Leane of Middletown, CT, and their spouses Susan, Dana and Nan, his grandchildren Tyler, Matt, Joe, Evan and Lauren, his cousins Jim Moran of Pascoag, RI and Ann Dahlquist of Chepatchet, RI and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Pauline and sons Timothy and Terrance.
Tom was born on August 23rd, 1931 in Providence, RI. Tom’s family farm in Smithfield was a safe haven for the family during the depression. Tom’s father passed away when he was very young. His mother Gertrude had a love for adventures, she gave Tom many fun early experiences like going to the World's Fair in NYC. She passed when he was 13 and he moved to Central Falls to live with his loving Aunt Ethel and Uncle James Moran. His cousins Jim and Ann came to become like a brother and sister to him throughout his life.
In Central Falls, RI Tom met the friends that would be the anchors of his life. Together with friends Bob and Donnie Mitchell he learned to play a card game “high, low jack”, a skill that he passed to all his children and later his grandchildren. He was known to take on his youngest grandchild as a partner playing cards. Family reunions frequently included spirited card games with Tom always very difficult to beat.
Tom married his wife Pauline (Burns) Gill on June 14th, 1956. Tom & Pauline raised their family in Nashua, NH. Summer vacations on Cape Cod inspired Tom & Pauline to move to West Dennis, MA when Tom retired and the kids were off to College.
Tom was very close to his brother- and sister-in-law Frank and Madeleine McDonald. They shared many summer nights of laughter, singing and fun at the West Dennis house.
Tom attended Brown University from 1954 to 1956 and Arnold College from 1949 to 1950. He joined the Air Force and learned to be an Air Traffic Controller, a skill that would be the basis of his career at the Nashua Center.
Tom had a special place in his heart for his grandchildren Tyler, Matt, Joe, Evan and Lauren. He was thrilled to have spent many high quality years enjoying them. They were a source of great pride.
Tom was a lifelong reader, gardener, runner, cyclist and lover of the outdoors. He was somewhat of a local legend in West Dennis, known for riding his bike through all sorts of weather and well into his mid-eighties.
Known to his kids as a “fashion criminal,” he was incredibly generous, but spent very little on himself. He was a kind, gentle, and patient soul. Tom had a quiet way of supporting others. When the folks at the post office learned of his passing, tears were shed on the loss of such a polite and well-mannered guy.
In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations in Tom’s name be made to the West Dennis Library where he formerly served on the board of directors:
260 Main Street, West Dennis, MA 02670
https://www.westdennislibrary.org/library-informat...
Tom is survived by his sons Tom of Imperial Beach, CA, and Todd of Harvard, MA, his daughter Leane of Middletown, CT, and their spouses Susan, Dana and Nan, his grandchildren Tyler, Matt, Joe, Evan and Lauren, his cousins Jim Moran of Pascoag, RI and Ann Dahlquist of Chepatchet, RI and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Pauline and sons Timothy and Terrance.
Tom was born on August 23rd, 1931 in Providence, RI. Tom’s family farm in Smithfield was a safe haven for the family during the depression. Tom’s father passed away when he was very young. His mother Gertrude had a love for adventures, she gave Tom many fun early experiences like going to the World's Fair in NYC. She passed when he was 13 and he moved to Central Falls to live with his loving Aunt Ethel and Uncle James Moran. His cousins Jim and Ann came to become like a brother and sister to him throughout his life.
In Central Falls, RI Tom met the friends that would be the anchors of his life. Together with friends Bob and Donnie Mitchell he learned to play a card game “high, low jack”, a skill that he passed to all his children and later his grandchildren. He was known to take on his youngest grandchild as a partner playing cards. Family reunions frequently included spirited card games with Tom always very difficult to beat.
Tom married his wife Pauline (Burns) Gill on June 14th, 1956. Tom & Pauline raised their family in Nashua, NH. Summer vacations on Cape Cod inspired Tom & Pauline to move to West Dennis, MA when Tom retired and the kids were off to College.
Tom was very close to his brother- and sister-in-law Frank and Madeleine McDonald. They shared many summer nights of laughter, singing and fun at the West Dennis house.
Tom attended Brown University from 1954 to 1956 and Arnold College from 1949 to 1950. He joined the Air Force and learned to be an Air Traffic Controller, a skill that would be the basis of his career at the Nashua Center.
Tom had a special place in his heart for his grandchildren Tyler, Matt, Joe, Evan and Lauren. He was thrilled to have spent many high quality years enjoying them. They were a source of great pride.
Tom was a lifelong reader, gardener, runner, cyclist and lover of the outdoors. He was somewhat of a local legend in West Dennis, known for riding his bike through all sorts of weather and well into his mid-eighties.
Known to his kids as a “fashion criminal,” he was incredibly generous, but spent very little on himself. He was a kind, gentle, and patient soul. Tom had a quiet way of supporting others. When the folks at the post office learned of his passing, tears were shed on the loss of such a polite and well-mannered guy.
In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations in Tom’s name be made to the West Dennis Library where he formerly served on the board of directors:
260 Main Street, West Dennis, MA 02670
https://www.westdennislibrary.org/library-informat...
Tributes
Leave a tribute
May 13, 2021
May 13, 2021
\
Tom was like a big brother to me. I miss him, like a brother." He would race into the house on Kendall St. say "hey Ann will you iron this shirt for me----please,'' and as he was leaving a quarter would appear on the table. thanks he would say. Generous, Polite, and kind except when playing cards, or any game someone must win. Miss you Tom miss you.
g
Tom was like a big brother to me. I miss him, like a brother." He would race into the house on Kendall St. say "hey Ann will you iron this shirt for me----please,'' and as he was leaving a quarter would appear on the table. thanks he would say. Generous, Polite, and kind except when playing cards, or any game someone must win. Miss you Tom miss you.
g
May 12, 2021
May 12, 2021
What a delightful man, so gentle in his ways, a welcome guest when he visited Tom and Susan in California. Simple needs, being around family, a bike ride, a swim or a walk made him happy. At five o'clock, a can of Coors light was his way to celebrate a good day. We will all miss those times we had together.
May 12, 2021
May 12, 2021
Tom's sense of humor, his love of reading, gardening, and bikiing, and his great pleasure in his family are qualities in him we will always remember. We will miss him.
Marilyn and Warren Hollinshead
Marilyn and Warren Hollinshead
May 11, 2021
May 11, 2021
Loved him dearly!! He was so good to me!! He will be incredibly missed Scott & I !! He definitely had a soft spot for Bridgit & she him!! We will miss you Uncle Tom !! Go kick some butt up there at high low jack!!!
Leave a Tribute
Recent Tributes
August 23, 2021
August 23, 2021
I admired Tom and his gentle demeanor, his work ethic, and his family legacy to his children. They have a fine role model, and reason to be proud of him. He will be missed on his West Coast getaways.
May 13, 2021
May 13, 2021
\
Tom was like a big brother to me. I miss him, like a brother." He would race into the house on Kendall St. say "hey Ann will you iron this shirt for me----please,'' and as he was leaving a quarter would appear on the table. thanks he would say. Generous, Polite, and kind except when playing cards, or any game someone must win. Miss you Tom miss you.
g
Tom was like a big brother to me. I miss him, like a brother." He would race into the house on Kendall St. say "hey Ann will you iron this shirt for me----please,'' and as he was leaving a quarter would appear on the table. thanks he would say. Generous, Polite, and kind except when playing cards, or any game someone must win. Miss you Tom miss you.
g
May 12, 2021
May 12, 2021
What a delightful man, so gentle in his ways, a welcome guest when he visited Tom and Susan in California. Simple needs, being around family, a bike ride, a swim or a walk made him happy. At five o'clock, a can of Coors light was his way to celebrate a good day. We will all miss those times we had together.
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