Thomas R. Gibbons

ALBANY, NY - Thomas R. Gibbons died peacefully on Tuesday morning, under inpatient Hospice care for a short, immediately life-threatening illness. Tom was a resident at the Beverwyck retirement community in Slingerlands since the death of his wife, Therese C. (Tess) Gibbons, about 10 years ago. He is survived by his four adult children, Jane Nealy of New York City, Marie Brand (Tracy) of eastern Pennsylvania, Michael Gibbons of Salt Lake City, and Susan Gibbons (Chris Shumway) of Glenmont; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, in addition to his sister Mary Farrell (James) of Floral Park and her children and grandchildren. He also leaves his loving companion Florence Cohn, and his caring nurse Nina Furman. Tom was born in Woodhaven, Queens, in 1927, and attended grade school and high school in that community. Sports played a large role in his early life, particularly basketball. Tom attended Seton Hall University on a basketball scholarship, and his basketball talents led to a number of other travel and employment opportunities. He joined the Navy near the end of World War II, serving in the Coast Guard after the close of the war. He played basketball around the country and around the world, eventually attending the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, as a member of the championship Canadian basketball team from Tillsonburg, Ontario. Tom and Tess married in New Jersey and lived in Tillsonburg for several years, starting their family there before moving back to New Jersey in 1954. Tom made his living as a businessman in sales, where he showed a natural talent and found much success. He retired to the Albany, New York area in 1994, and he and Tess enjoyed travel and their grandchildren for several years before Tess' death in 2003. Services will be private at the convenience of the family. The family requests contributions to The Lupus Foundation in lieu of flowers.