Eleventh Generation

681. Thomas Stearns GRIGGS Sr. (~) (!) was born on 19 April 1936 in Waterbury, Waterbury Township, New Haven County, CT.^31,174,408 He appeared in the census in 1940 in Waterbury, Waterbury Township, New Haven County, CT.⁴⁰⁷ He appeared in the census in 1950 in Waterbury, Waterbury Township, New Haven County, CT.⁴⁰⁸ Thomas graduated in 1966 in Watertown Township, Litchfield County, CT.²⁵ He graduated Magna Cum Laude in Industrial Engineering. After 1968 he was in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, CT.²⁵ He was the Director of Data Processing at the Bridgeport Hospital for 46 years. He lived in Milford, New Haven County, CT in August 1974.⁴¹⁰ Thomas lived in Milford, New Haven County, CT in 1989.⁶²⁰ About 1990 he was in New Haven County, CT.⁸⁶ He was the Director and President of the Creative Arts Workshop, Inc. He lived in Orange, New Haven County, CT in 2014.⁸⁶ Thomas died on 9 December 2023 at the age of 87 in Orange, New Haven County, CT.¹⁷⁴ Obituary Notes: "Thomas S. Griggs Sr., 87, of Orange, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2023. Husband of Barbara Ann Welker Griggs, Tom was born on April 19, 1936, in Waterbury, Connecticut to the late Henry Little and Harriett Lewis (Aiken) Griggs. Tom was predeceased by his first wife Judith (Schott) Griggs.

Tom, the youngest of 3 sons by 15 years, attended school in Waterbury and graduated from Taft School in 1954. He was proud of buying his first car for $10.00, a 1936 Ford Phaeton from the Taft Automotive Club and putting it back together by himself, including installing a Ford engine he bought for $40.00 from Watertown Ford.

He drove that car back and forth from Lehigh University while dating Judy Schott, who he married in 1960.

Joining the US Army, Tom was assigned to the Signal Corp. at Fort Eisenhower in Augusta Georgia. Upon discharge of active duty in 1961, Tom, Judy and 3 month old Tom Jr., moved back to CT, buying a house in Milford and starting a job with Sikorsky in Bridgeport. From 1964 - 1968 Tom worked at SNET in New Haven as a Senior Systems Analyst and in 1965, their daughter Susan was born.

Tom started classes at New Haven College in 1961 and graduated Magna Cum Laude in Industrial Engineering in 1966, he loved the photo at graduation at Yale University Woolsey Hall standing next to his father with young Tom in his arms. One month later he received his Honorable Discharge from the US Army Reserves.

In 1968 Tom was hired by Bridgeport Hospital as the Director of Data Processing, overseeing a 5 person department. He was always proud of purchasing and installing the first IBM Mainframe computer. His career at Bridgeport Hospital lasted 46 years, until he retired at age 78, having been named employee of the year in 1996.

While living in Milford, Tom was active in the community, joining the Jaycees and being elected to the Planning & Zoning Board, in 1974 Governor Meskill appointed Tom to the board of the State Technical Colleges.

Tom was a pillar of Mary Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church on the Green in Milford, taking a leadership position on the Church Foundation, replacing the slate roof and renovating the organ.

Having attended Keewaydin Camp in VT as a youth, Tom continued as a counselor and then attended over 35 years of post-camp reunions with his family. He loved sailing, canoeing, Friday Night Frolics, the companionship and visiting the Morgan Horse Farm.

Tom could always be counted on to have a camera with him, at every family event, holiday and vacation. He also used that camera to take photos of trains, especially the diesel and electric engines that pulled the train cars. Tom had an extensive inventory of train engines, their numbers, locations, paint schemes and dragged his kids to train yards throughout New Haven on weekends. In the early days, it was not uncommon for Tom to be crossing tracks, waving at the train engineers and being welcomed into the cabin. Recently, his comprehensive collection of train books and hundreds of train magazines was donated to the Gateway Community College Library for use by the Railroad Technology students, where there is an annual scholarship in Tom and Barbara Ann’s name.

In addition to his wife Barbara Ann, Tom is survived by his children Thomas Jr. (Edward Bottomley), Susan O’Shea (Thomas O’Shea) and Christine “Missy” Hackett (Eric Hackett). Tom will also be missed by his grandchildren, Erin O’Shea, Brian Taylor and Joshua Hackett.

Thomas was predeceased by his brothers Henry Little Griggs Jr. and Edward Aiken Griggs. Tom was widowed in 2008 and was married to Barbara Ann in 2014 enjoying a new family that included 7 grandchildren, family trips to Matinicus Island and vacations with Barbara Ann. As usual, he was never seen without a special dog in his arms.

Friends and family may call from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday December 15, 2023 at the CODY-WHITE FUNERAL HOME, 107 BROAD ST., MILFORD, CT.

A Funeral Service will be celebrated on Saturday December 16, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at Mary Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church, 168-176 S Broad St, Milford, CT 06460 (MEET DIRECTLY AT CHURCH). Mary Taylor will be live streaming the service."

Thomas Stearns GRIGGS Sr. (~) (!) and Judith Marie "Judie" SCHOTT were married on 6 August 1960 in New York City, Kings County, NY.^86,621,622 Judith Marie "Judie" SCHOTT⁴¹², daughter of Hauer William SCHOTT and Augusta Madeline HAGEMANN, was born on 4 October 1938 in Andover, Hartford County, CT.^{82,412,621,623} (The cemetery records list her birthplace as Waterbury, New Haven County, CT.) She appeared in the census in 1940 in West Caldwell, Essex County, NJ.⁴¹² She appeared in the census in 1950 in Waterbury, Waterbury Township, New Haven County, CT.⁴¹² Before 2008 Judie was in Milford, New Haven County, CT.²⁵ She was a long-time employee of Re/Max Right Choice and the owner and proprietor of The Knitters. She died on 21 June 2008 at the age of 69 in Shelton, Fairfield County, CT.^82,412,621 Obituary Notes: "Judith S. Griggs, age 69, of Milford , passed away on Saturday, June 21, 2008 at Bishop Wicke Health Care Center in Shelton after a final bout with cancer. Judie was born on October 4, 1938 in Waterbury to the late Hauer Al and Augusta Bessie Hagemann Schott.

Mrs. Griggs is survived by Tom, her loving husband of 48 years, children Tom Griggs, Jr of Milford and his partner, Ed Bottomley; Susan O'Shea of Milford and her husband Tee; Missy Hackett of Orange and her husband Eric; grandchildren Erin OShea, Brian Taylor and Joshua Hackett; sister Carole Bonnett of Trumbull and husband Craig; nieces and nephews including Kristen Misurale and Chip Bonnett.

An avid reader, Judie also loved gardening and sending cards to family and friends to celebrate holidays and accomplishments. She was a former member of The Milford Garden Club, a past president of the Milford Jaycee Wives and a Milford Hospital volunteer. She was a long-time employee of RE/MAX Right Choice and previous to that was the owner and proprietor of The Knitters in Milford.

The family will receive friends Thursday June 26, 2008 from 4 to 8pm at the Smith & Sefcik Funeral Home, 135 Broad St., Milford. A Memorial service will be held Saturday June 28th, 10:00 am at Mary Taylor Church on the Green in Milford. Interment will be private at Hillside Cemetery, Terryville, CT.

Donations may be made to the Bishop Wicke Health Care Center, 580 Long Hill Rd., Shelton, CT 06484 or the The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life of Milford." She was buried in Terryville, Plymouth Township, Litchfield County, CT.^82,621 in the Hillside Cemetery.

Thomas Stearns GRIGGS Sr. (~) (!) and Judith Marie "Judie" SCHOTT had the following children:

Thomas Stearns GRIGGS Sr. (~) (!) and Barbara Ann WELKER were married in 2014.¹⁷⁴ Barbara Ann WELKER²⁵ was born (date unknown).