Thomas J. Phelan, 77, of Bow, NH, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 20, 2017.
Born in Pittsfield, MA, on January 29, 1940, he was the only child of the late Thomas H.
and Phoebe M. (Garnham) Phelan.
A 1958 graduate of St. Joseph's High School, Tom played on the County Championship
football teams.
After serving in the Marine Corps, Tom came home to marry the love of his life, Joan
(Marshall) and raise their three daughters in Pittsfield, MA. Tom was an exceptional
husband, providing extraordinary care to Joan during her final years, until she passed in
January of 2006 after 42 years of marriage.
Tom spent his career at General Electric (later Lockheed Martin) building, as he would
say, "the largest power transformers in the world"; he retired in 1995 and spent the next
22 years pursuing his passions. Tom enjoyed sports of all types, playing, watching, and
commentating; in his younger days he was an avid hunter and fisherman, but he was most
passionate about all types of shooting, skeet, trap and sporting clays; Tom was a
connoisseur of fine shotguns. Tom was also a dedicated walker, logging 4 or 5 miles on
most days, recently attempting to canvass the entire NH Rail Trail system with his buddy,
Dave. Tom was fortunate to find friendship and comradery while living for the past
twelve years in Bow, NH, at "The Rock", as he endearingly called his residence.
However, Tom's greatest pleasure was spending time with his family, playing sports with
them or watching them on the field, shooting with them, or experiencing all kinds of
adventures while travelling with them.
Tom is survived by his daughters, Sandra and her husband Kevin Stanton of Hampstead,
NH, Sheila and her husband Ted Scharer of Ellicott City, MD, Sharon and her husband Jim Meaney of
Bow, NH, and his grandchildren Meghan and Michael Stanton, and Ryan, Caitlin, and
Cassandra Meaney.
Visiting hours will be held Thursday May 25 from 4-7 at the Waters Funeral Home, 50 South Main St. Concord.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday May26 at 10 AM at Christ the King 72 South Main St. Concord.
Burial will follow in the West Hampstead cemetery, Hampstead NH.