Thomas J. Woods, 94, of Oxford, formerly of Sutton and Millbury, died Tuesday, Dec. 3rd in the Rose Monahan Hospice Home in Worcester.
Tom was born in Worcester, one of six children of John T. & Margaret (Gaffney) Woods. He graduated from the High School of Commerce in 1938. He caddied at the Worcester Country Club. Tom worked for the Worcester Street Railway Company until he was drafted into the Army in 1941. He served in the European Theater Operations with the First Army, landing in Normandy during the D-Day invasion, and was Honorably Discharged in 1945. He was a member of the Greendale Post American Legion # 319 for over 65 years. Tom worked for the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company as a Claims Adjuster in the Albany NY office.
While there, he met and married his first wife Margaret "Peggy" Evers of Troy, NY. They were married for over 40 years when she passed away in 1992.
Tom is survived by his second wife, Barbara (Reed) Bordeaux Woods, and her family; his son Kevin C. Woods and his wife Lois of Millbury, and his beloved granddaughter Kara and her husband David Gancarz. He leaves behind two sisters, Lillian (Woods) McGinn Gallagher and Elizabeth (Poulin) Woods, both of Worcester; and many nieces and nephews.
He was pre-deceased by a sister Mary Yaeger and her husband Charles, a sister Anna Nichols Lipps, and a brother John F. Woods Sr., of Worcester.
Tom was a Charter Member of Troop 50 of Our Lady of the Rosary's Boy Scouts of America. He loved to sing and sang in a number of church choirs. In 1949 he became a Charter Member of the SPEBSQSA Harmony Society, and was a life-long member of the Worcester "Men of Song" Barbershop Chorus, and sang bass in a number of quartets through the years. Tom enjoyed golfing and over the years had been a member at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, The International in Bolton, and Harbour Ridge Golf Club in Stuart, FL.
In 1959, he returned to Worcester and opened his Insurance Brokerage office, the Thomas J. Woods Insurance Agency, with the Traveler's Insurance Company. His brother John eventually joined the agency which Tom turned over to his nephew John (Jack) Woods, Jr., Richard Carr and Walter Conlin, upon his retirement. Tom was also active with the First Friday Club and was a strong advocate of Pro-Life activities. Tom served as President of the Central Council of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society and was also the first layman to serve as President of the Diocesan office of Catholic Charities.
Tom took up watercolor painting in 1990 and became a student at the Worcester Art Museum. He had his first exhibit at CC Lowell's and Richard Duckett of the Telegram & Gazette had a glowing review of the event, referring to it as "Still Life at 80."
Tom's family wishes to thank the entire staff of the Rose Monahan Hospice Home in Worcester for their compassion, dedication, and care given to Tom; and the attention and concern shown to family and friends.
Thomas' funeral will be held Monday, Dec. 9th from Mulhane Home for Funerals, 45 Main St. in Millbury with a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. in St. Mark's Church, 356 Boston Rd in Sutton. Burial with military honors will be in St. Brigid Cemetery in Millbury.
Calling hours are 8:30a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday morning, Dec. 9th in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances may be made to the VNA Care Network, Rose Monahan Hospice Home, in Care of Development Office, 120 Thomas St., Worcester, MA 01608-1280 or to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 507 Park Ave Worcester MA 01603.
Read Thomas Woods's Obituary and Guestbook on mulhane.com.
Tom was born in Worcester, one of six children of John T. & Margaret (Gaffney) Woods. He graduated from the High School of Commerce in 1938. He caddied at the Worcester Country Club. Tom worked for the Worcester Street Railway Company until he was drafted into the Army in 1941. He served in the European Theater Operations with the First Army, landing in Normandy during the D-Day invasion, and was Honorably Discharged in 1945. He was a member of the Greendale Post American Legion # 319 for over 65 years. Tom worked for the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company as a Claims Adjuster in the Albany NY office.
While there, he met and married his first wife Margaret "Peggy" Evers of Troy, NY. They were married for over 40 years when she passed away in 1992.
Tom is survived by his second wife, Barbara (Reed) Bordeaux Woods, and her family; his son Kevin C. Woods and his wife Lois of Millbury, and his beloved granddaughter Kara and her husband David Gancarz. He leaves behind two sisters, Lillian (Woods) McGinn Gallagher and Elizabeth (Poulin) Woods, both of Worcester; and many nieces and nephews.
He was pre-deceased by a sister Mary Yaeger and her husband Charles, a sister Anna Nichols Lipps, and a brother John F. Woods Sr., of Worcester.
Tom was a Charter Member of Troop 50 of Our Lady of the Rosary's Boy Scouts of America. He loved to sing and sang in a number of church choirs. In 1949 he became a Charter Member of the SPEBSQSA Harmony Society, and was a life-long member of the Worcester "Men of Song" Barbershop Chorus, and sang bass in a number of quartets through the years. Tom enjoyed golfing and over the years had been a member at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, The International in Bolton, and Harbour Ridge Golf Club in Stuart, FL.
In 1959, he returned to Worcester and opened his Insurance Brokerage office, the Thomas J. Woods Insurance Agency, with the Traveler's Insurance Company. His brother John eventually joined the agency which Tom turned over to his nephew John (Jack) Woods, Jr., Richard Carr and Walter Conlin, upon his retirement. Tom was also active with the First Friday Club and was a strong advocate of Pro-Life activities. Tom served as President of the Central Council of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society and was also the first layman to serve as President of the Diocesan office of Catholic Charities.
Tom took up watercolor painting in 1990 and became a student at the Worcester Art Museum. He had his first exhibit at CC Lowell's and Richard Duckett of the Telegram & Gazette had a glowing review of the event, referring to it as "Still Life at 80."
Tom's family wishes to thank the entire staff of the Rose Monahan Hospice Home in Worcester for their compassion, dedication, and care given to Tom; and the attention and concern shown to family and friends.
Thomas' funeral will be held Monday, Dec. 9th from Mulhane Home for Funerals, 45 Main St. in Millbury with a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. in St. Mark's Church, 356 Boston Rd in Sutton. Burial with military honors will be in St. Brigid Cemetery in Millbury.
Calling hours are 8:30a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday morning, Dec. 9th in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances may be made to the VNA Care Network, Rose Monahan Hospice Home, in Care of Development Office, 120 Thomas St., Worcester, MA 01608-1280 or to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 507 Park Ave Worcester MA 01603.
Read Thomas Woods's Obituary and Guestbook on mulhane.com.
A service summary is not available