Funeral Arrangements Announced for Beloved Wilton High School Football Coach

Obituary courtesy of Cornell Funeral Home

Thomas Fujitani, age 73, of Danbury died unexpectedly on Saturday, April 2, 2016. He was the beloved husband of 51 years of Donna (Ferraro) Fujitani.

Thomas was born in Greenwich on February 21, 1943, and is the son of Thomas Fujitani of Cos Cob and the late Mary (Bruno) Fujitani. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education from the University of Bridgeport where he also played football.

He was a Physical Education teacher at Wilton High School for 35 years. Not only was he a dedicated teacher and mentor, Tom was a stand out football coach at Wilton High School for 32 years where he won two state championships in 4 appearances as well as one FCIAC championship in 6 title game appearances. Upon his retirement, the Town of Wilton named the high school football field in his honor. Tom received the Chase/Heisman "Legend of Coaching Award" presented by the Downtown Athletic Club in 2000 and was inducted to the FCIAC Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also a board member since its inception for the Lt. John G. Corr Memorial Award Fund.

Tom had three loves – football, fishing and family. He enjoyed his annual fly fishing trips to Montana with close friends. Martha's Vineyard was also a favorite family spot of his. Tom loved spending time there with his grandchildren and was always inventing games and being official referee. Unable to stay away from his passion for coaching, Tom was currently on the football coaching staff at Bethel High School.

In addition to his wife Donna, and his father Thomas, Tom is survived by three children: Tracy Fujitani Glessner and her husband, John of Yarmouth, ME; Paul Fujitani and his wife, Kelli, of Ridgefield; and Thomas Fujitani and his wife, Summer, of Danbury and eight grandchildren: Emma Glessner, Ryen Fujitani, Ty Fujitani, Catherine Glessner, Trenton Fujitani, Collin Fujitani, Austin Fujitani and Mckenna Fujitani. Tom is also survived by his brother Peter Fujitani and wife Kelly, and his sister Margo Albonizio and her husband Richard.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, April 16th, at 10:00 AM at St. Agnes Church, 247 Stanwich Rd, Greenwich with burial immediately following at St. Mary Cemetery in Greenwich. The family will receive friends on Friday, April 15th between the hours of 4:00 and 8:00 PM, at the Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White St., Danbury.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lt. John Corr Memorial Award Fund and sent to Tom Sinchak, 30 Deacons Lane Wilton, CT 06897, online at www.johngcorr.org or via the link below.

https://secure.squarespace.com/commerce/donate?donatePageId=555bf60be4b05c599a4c8b96

To Light a Candle of Hope and Remembrance, please visit www.cornellmemorial.com