25 September, 2020
Thomas Joseph Ellam, 72, of Hopkinton, passed away Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. Born in Clinton, MA, he was the son of the late Katharine (Durkin) and Joseph H. Ellam. He leaves behind his wife, Susan Stevens of Hopkinton, his daughter, Sarah Stevens Ellam and her husband, Leigh Walker, of Hopkinton, and their two daughters, Rhys Ellam Walker and Tessa Ellam Walker, his son, Matthew Stevens Ellam and his partner, Deanna Meeske, of Boston, and his son Timothy Stevens Ellam and his wife, Shannon, of Everett. He also leaves behind his sisters, Mary Ellam Lane, Katharine Ellam, and Elizabeth Ellam, as well as many nieces, nephews, and their families. He is predeceased by his brother, Joseph J. Ellam.
Thomas was a 1965 graduate of St. John’s in Shrewsbury, a 1969 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and he earned his MBA from Babson College. Upon graduating from Notre Dame, he served in the US Army as an Intelligence Analyst and Vietnamese Interpreter in Vietnam. During his long career, he worked in sales and management for Xerox, Nortel, and other networking companies. In all of these places, Tom made lasting friendships. Additionally, he was a member of the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans Association, served on the Hopkinton Veterans Celebration Committee, and he coached Youth Basketball and Little League Baseball.
Tom/Dad/Grandpa Tom was a devoted father, beloved grandfather, and dear friend to many. He was grateful for the love and laughter of all his close Hopkinton friends, his old-time Clinton friends, and especially his Notre Dame family from across the country. He will be remembered for his unwavering passion for the Fighting Irish, his pursuit of knowledge, his quick wit, and most of all, his love for his family.
Visitation will be held on Monday, September 28th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton, www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com A funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 29th at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church in Hopkinton. Burial will follow in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dana Farber or Vietnam Veterans of America, vva.org
