In Memoriam

Thomas F. Christie Jr. 

 

Thomas F. Christie, Jr., 76, passed away peacefully at Stamford Hospital on Wednesday, February 3, 2016.

 

He was born on December 28, 1939 in Mount Vernon, NY, to the late Thomas F. Christie and Dorothea Brancard Christie.

 

He graduated from Yale University in 1963 and served as a Naval officer and aviator for five years before starting a long career as a banker.

 

He is survived by his wife Gail Hashagen Christie, his sons, Thomas Christie (wife Monica) and Peter Christie (wife Melanie), three grandsons, Jonathan Christie, David Christie and Colin Christie, his sister Martha Christie  Nash (husband James),  brother-in-law,  John Hashagen  (wife Huntly), and three loving nieces.

 

Donations in memory of Thomas F. Christie may be made to Disabled American Veterans,  P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati,  OH 45250-0301.

 

---

Remembrance by Paul Field:

TOM CHRISTIE

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

TOM LED AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE.  AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO REMEMBER AND CELEBRATE THAT LIFE, A LIFE THAT ENDURES THROUGH HIS FAMILY THAT WAS THE CENTER OF HIS UNIVERSE, HIS MANY INTERESTS, AND HIS FRIENDS.

 I TREASURE OUR FRIENDSHIP.  WE FIRST MET, SOPPING WET, AS LIFEGUARDS AND SWIMMING INSTRUCTORS AT THE NEW HAVEN YMCA IN 1962. WET OR DRY, OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS CLOSE, AND HAS ENDURED OVER FIVE PLUS DECADES AND LONG DISTANCES.

 TOM WAS MULTI-TALENTED AND BRILLIANT.  IN COLLEGE HE HELD A NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP, PLAYED FOOTBALL, SOCCER, BASEBALL, AND WAS ON THE FRESHMAN SWIMMING TEAM.  HE PLAYED THE GUITAR AND SANG IN THE FRESHMAN CHORUS, APOLLO GLEE CLUB, AND THE AUGMENTED SEVEN. 

 I WAS A WITNESS TO LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT – OF TOM BEING HIT BY A GIGANTIC LIGHTENING BOLT.  HIS SINGING GROUP, THE AUGMENTED 7, HAD PERFORMED AT A FRESHMAN MIXER AT SMITH.  HE SAW THIS STUNNING 17 YEAR OLD, TWO WEEKS INTO HER FRESHMAN YEAR.  HE WAS TRANSFIXED.  HE CONTRIVED TO LEAVE HIS GUITAR BEHIND TO HAVE AN EXCUSE TO SEE HER AGAIN.  THEY STARTED DATING AND TOM WAS OVERWHELMED BY HER. 

 SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO OWN CARS.  TOM GOT A SPORTS CAR AND HID IT A FEW BLOCKS FROM CAMPUS SO HE COULD ROCKET UP TO SMITH.  SO BY 19 GAIL FOUND HERSELF NOT A COLLEGE SOPHOMORE OR JUNIOR BUT A NAVY WIFE. 

 SO MANY STORIES ABOUT THE WONDERFUL TOM CHRISTIE.  WHEN HE TOOK ME FOR A RIDE IN HIS NEW SPORTS CAR.  IGNORING THAT IT WAS NIGHT AND RAINING, HE TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS, PUT THE TOP DOWN, AND IN THE STORM BLINDLY DRIVE US AROUND AND THROUGH THE BUSHES AROUND YALE BOWL…TOM LEARNING TO FLY WHILE AN UNDERGRADUATE AND HAVING THE ENGINE OF HIS PLANE CUT OUT OVER MANHATTAN.  AS HE THOUGHT ABOUT GLIDING INTO YANKEE STADIUM, HE REMEBERED TO SWITCH FROM THE EMPTY GAS TANK TO THE FULL ONE…IN THE NAVY MANAGING TO PILOT A 30 YEAR OLD TRANSPORT WITH A YOUNG ENSIGN STICKING HIS HEAD INTO THE COCKPIT, GESTURING TO THE REAR.  FINALLY, WHAT IS IT?  TOM SNAPPED.  F,F,F FIRE!.

 ALMOST TEN YEARS AFTER COLLEGE, TOM HONORED JO ANNE AND ME BY BECOMING OUR BEST MAN.  AND IN TYPICAL TOM FASHION, HE WAS SUPERB AT IT.  HE KNEW THAT WE WOULD KNEEL AT THE ALTAR IN OUR CATHOLIC SERVICE.  SO BEFORE THE CEREMONY HE SPIT SHINED THE SOLES OF MY SHOES, SO THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE PERFECT.  HE ALSO GAVE ME A SPECIAL WEDDING PRESENT.  A SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1906 BOLT ACTION MILITARY RIFLE! I THINK THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS HAS EXPIRED, SO I CAN SHARE THAT TOM STOLE THE RIFLE FROM ROTC.  I TREASURE IT.

 AND SO TOM CAME HOME FROM VIETNAM WITH A CHESTFULL OF MEDALS.  AND HE AND HIS BELOVED SMITH FRESHMAN BUILT A WONDERFUL LIFE TOGETHER. AS THE YEARS WENT BY, HE SAW HIS GAIL AS THE EXTRAORDINARY CONFIDENT, COMPLETE, CARING, CONNECTED CORE OF THE FAMILY AND THEIR LIVES  

 AND THE FAMILY GREW, FIRST WITH THE TWO WONDERFUL YOUNG MEN OF WHOM HE WAS SO PROUD, TOM AND PETER.  AND THEN THE SMART AND CARING MONICA AND MELANIE.  AND IN RECENT YEARS TOM’S HEART WAS FILLED WITH THE ADDITION OF JONATHAN, DAVID, AND COLIN.

 A FULL LIFE.  WELL LIVED.

 AND, FINALLY, I’D LIKE TO SHARE THE BLESSING WITH WHICH TOM TOASTED JO ANNE AND ME AT OUR WEDDING:

 AN OLD IRISH BLESSING........

 MAY THE ROAD RISE UP TO MEET YOU.

MAY THE WIND ALWAYS BE AT YOUR BACK.

MAY THE SUN SHINE WARM UPON YOUR FACE,

AND RAINS FALL SOFT UPON YOUR FIELDS.

AND UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,

MAY GOD HOLD YOU IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND.