Obituaries
Obituary: Thomas J. Gersz Sr., 80, of Yalesville
He began his career in Wallingford, teaching biology & coaching football at Dag middle school and became an administrator at Sheehan High.
Information via Wallingford Funeral Home
Thomas J. Gersz Sr., 80, of Yalesville, died Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 at Yale New Haven Hospital. He was the loving husband of Genevieve (Kras) Gersz of 56 years.
He was born in New Haven, March 29, 1939, a son of the late Ignatius and Mary (Hilinski) Gersz. Tom graduated from Notre Dame High School in West Haven and then received his Bachelors, Masters, and Sixth-Year degrees from Southern Connecticut State University in biology and administration. While in college, Tom also played football and ran track.
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He began his career in the Wallingford school system teaching biology and coaching football at Dag Hammarskjold Middle School. He became an administrator at Mark T. Sheehan High School, and then moved on to become principal at Derby High School. He ended his career at Cathedral School in Hartford and St. Mary’s School in Newington. Throughout his career, Tom was known to be firm but fair, and always believed “every child could be reached.”
As a devoted husband and father, you could always find Tom watching and cheering on his family at games, concerts and recitals. He was an avid sports fan, rooting for his Red Sox, New York Giants and UConn Huskies.
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In addition to his wife Genevieve, he is survived by his children Donna Kirby and her husband Jonathan, Carolyn Nielsen and her husband Joseph, and Jonathan Gersz and his wife Heather; his daughter-in-law, Irene Gersz; and his grandchildren Emily, Rebecca and Ryan Gersz, Caitlin and Jonathan Kirby, Cameron and Hannah Nielsen, and Gavin and Bowen Gersz. Tom was predeceased by his son, Thomas Gersz Jr.
His family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 N. Main St. Ext., Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 9 a.m. from the funeral home when the funeral cortege will proceed to Our Lady of Fatima Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m.
For more information and to leave online condolences, visit Wallingford Funeral Home here.
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