Obituary: Thomas Spellane, 71, Of New Canaan

Obituary submitted by Pat Spellane

Thomas P. Spellane, 71, of New Canaan, CT (formerly of Darien) passed away after a brief illness on February 10, 2022, in Vero Beach, FL.

Tom was the devoted husband of Pamela (Lotz) Spellane for 42 years, and the beloved father of Patrick (Katherine Eberly) of Darien, and Megan (Steve Hazlett) of Greeley, CO. He was known as "T" to his adoring grandchildren, Druscilla "Dru" Spellane and Thomas "Philip" Spellane II.

Born on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1950, in New York City, and raised in Douglaston, NY, Tom was the eldest child of James C. and Rosina (Termini) Spellane.

A loyal graduate of Hamilton College, Tom went on to attend Syracuse University's College of Law, and receive a Master in Taxation from New York University. He was a founding partner of Gilbride, Tusa, Last & Spellane in Greenwich, where he helped grow and develop the firm for 40 years until his retirement at the end of 2019.

Tom generously donated his time and knowledge of tax law to causes and communities to which he felt a special connection, serving a combined 30 years on the boards of The Darien Land Trust, Woodway Country Club, The Tokeneke Club, The Point O’Woods Association, and The Point O’Woods Church Committee.

A gifted athlete, Tom played Varsity Tennis at Hamilton, and maintained a lifelong love of all racquet sports. Over the last 30 years, his main pursuit was golf, allowing him to travel and spend time with great friends. A steadfast fan of The New York Football Giants, Tom attended the 1958 NFL Championship with his father, "The Fumble" with his future wife, and the Giants/Chargers "Snowball Game" with his son (all losses). With an insatiable thirst for knowledge, Tom was regularly found engrossed in books covering almost any subject.

A gentle and intelligent soul who spoke thoughtfully, joked frequently, and laughed often, Tom was loved by all. He had an extraordinary ability to engage deeply with everyone he encountered, and enjoyed friendships across multiple generations.

In addition to his wife and children, Tom is survived by his siblings each with whom he shared a deep and unique connection, Peter (Johanna) of Ardsley-on-Hudson, NY, Mary Jane Marchisotto (Alan) of New York City, Philip (Kathleen) of Rochester, NY, and Nancy Elia (Steve) of Summit, NJ. He is also survived by his sisters-in-laws, Janet (Tom) O'Connor and Stephanie (Jim) Seaborg, and 10 nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held this spring in Darien. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tom's memory to The Church at Point O'Woods, c/o Doug Sesler, 54 Northway, Bronxville, NY 11708.