Tom Thurston, Sr., 86, loving husband, father, papa, teacher, and friend died on April 25th, 2021 at his home surrounded by loved ones. Tom was born on August 27, 1934 to Valerian and Anson Thurston in Springfield, MA. Following graduation from Manchester Central High School in 1952 and joined the Army and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in Fayetteville, NC. After the Army, he attended Plymouth State College earning his bachelor’s in Education. More importantly, Plymouth State was where Tom met the love of his life, Simone Hebert, to whom he was married to for 60 years.

    After graduating from PSC, he began teaching at the Carpenter School in Wolfeboro, NH. Two years later, he transferred to the Concord School District. Three years later, Tom and Simone piled Jeanmarie, Jeff and Tommy into their station wagon traveling cross country where Tom earned his Master of Science in Biology at the University of Utah. Tom was an educator, coach, and administrator in the Concord School District for more than 30 years retiring in 1994. He will be remembered by his students, fellow teachers and teammates alike for his kind and compassionate spirit and ability to make learning fun.

    During the summer months, Tom was the director of the Bear Hill and Spruce Pond 4-H Camps in Allenstown, NH from 1968 to 1975 and Camp Bernadette in Wolfeboro, NH, from 1977 to 1984, where he developed the programs, increased enrollment enriching the lives of many children including his own during many summers of adventure. Tom was particularly invested in the development of the younger generation and the community at large serving on the board of the Concord Red Cross, the Concord YMCA, the Concord Hospital Golf Tournament, and the Concord Board of Realtors. He was a devout Catholic who became a Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree.

    Tom was always the life of the party and loved being with his family and friends. He was known for his quick wit, infectious smile, and passion for sports, especially watching the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park where he threw the first pitch at Fenway in August 2015. He loved the outdoors and lake life, whether being at his summer home on Stinson Lake in Rumney, NH, or at his daughter and sons’ lake houses in Maine. He was a faithful member of the Concord Country Club, his happy place, where everyone knew his name and he enjoyed his days in retirement even scoring an 87 at age 86.

    His children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were his passion and joy. He taught all of them many lessons in life, most importantly to always be kind, be charitable and to love and have fun with each other. Tom coached and cheered the children on in their personal passions of football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, skiing, dancing, and his personal favorite golf, with emphasis on putting and a proper stance.

    Tom is survived by his wife, Simone of 60 years, and his four children, Jeanmarie Scire and her fiancé Stephen Olive of Hollis, NH; Jeffery and his wife Laurie (Koppel) of Concord, NH, Thomas, Jr., and his wife Heidi (Hill) of Waterbury, VT; and Anthony (Tony) and his wife Bridgett (Millican) of Morgan Hills, CA; ten grandchildren, Emily and her husband Colby Sortevik, Andrew, Benjamin, Michael, Caitlin, Cameron, Ava, Timothy, Julia and Violette; two great granddaughters, Lindsey and Sydney; his sisters, Barbara Thurston and Carol West, as well as many nieces and nephews.

   Walk-through calling hours will be held at the Paquette-Neun Funeral Home, 104 Park Street Northfield, NH from 2 pm to 5 pm on Sunday May 2nd, 2021. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Paul’s Church, 110 School Street Franklin, NH, at 11:00am on Monday May 3rd, 2021.   Masks and social distancing are required.    In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Tom’s name to St. Paul’s Church, PO Box 490, Franklin NH 03235 or The Friendly Kitchen, PO Box 373, Concord, NH 03302.

   For directions and an online guestbook, please visit www.neunfuneralhomes.com