Thomas McCormack obituary

#MiddleburyCT #Obituary

Thomas McCormack, 58, of Middlebury, unexpectedly passed away on July 18, 2023. His life will be forever cherished by his surviving family: daughter Laura McCormack; parents John and Lorraine (Walsh) McCormack; siblings John McCormack (Leslie), Maureen Brinchman, Eileen Nettles, Michael McCormack (Suzie Rohan); brother-in-law Robert Brinchman; Evelyn Mensah and her daughter Chantel; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, cousins and his aunt and uncle. Tom is also survived by his longtime best friend, Steve Rupe and his family, including Tom’s Godson, Joseph Rupe.

Tom was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on March 10, 1965, just in time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. As the fourth of soon to be five children, he was welcomed into an already plentiful family which included his Nana Ronan, with whom he shared a special bond. Surrounded by many friends and family members, Tom had an idyllic childhood full of pool parties and long summer nights at their Woodbury home.

From the years of 1979-1983 he attended Nonnewaug High School, going on to attend and graduate from UCONN with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1988. Having struggled with dyslexia throughout his youth, Tom was particularly proud to receive an A in his college Shakespeare class.

Learning remained a lifelong passion with Tom, who earned an associate’s degree, graduating summa cum laude from Naugatuck Valley Community College in 2017 and even going on to be a volunteer English as a Second Language teacher in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Tom worked at the Southbury Training School for 36 years. The friendships formed with his coworkers and the residents there were among his most treasured.

Outside of work Tom had many, many interests and hobbies of which music and fishing were his greatest passions. He was a largely self-taught musician who loved to spend the evenings having jam sessions with family and friends. He played the guitar, keyboard, anything in the percussion section he could get his hands on, and even sang.

Introduced to fishing by his father, Tom grew into a truly legendary fisherman who could always be counted on to hook the evening’s meal. Whether fishing off the Maude at his home on Lake Quassapaug, or fishing by moonlight over summer vacations in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, fishing was the perfect backdrop to share stories and laughs with those he loved. The “lure” of his prowess lives on in the younger generations he in turn taught to love his sport.

Tom also loved sports, dancing, cooking, reading, art, and travel. Tom also took time to become actively involved in local politics and proudly served as Middlebury’s Democratic Registrar of Voters for 11 years.

Tom, as the song goes, “til the next time we say goodbye, I’ll be thinking of you.”

Celebrate Tom’s life Sunday, July 23, with visitation from 12 to 2 p.m. and a service starting at 2 p.m. at Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home at 2 School St. in Woodbury, Connecticut. The service will be livestreamed beginning at 2 p.m. for those who cannot attend in person – Zoom link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88643788743?pwd=ZUdUMDhrV2cvNHQ2U1BYV2wwSXl2dz09. Meeting ID: 886 4378 8743 Passcode: 517476

The family is accepting donations to The Hole in the Wall Gang Fund, 555 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven CT 06511, in his honor. To read the full obituary and share a memory of Tom or to send a condolence to his family, please visit www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.