NATICK: Thomas William “Peepees” Topham, Sr., age 84, a lifelong resident of Natick and Korean War veteran, died peacefully at MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham early Saturday morning, May 3, 2014. He was the devoted husband of Nancy L. (O’Leary) Topham for 60 years.
Born and raised in Natick, he was the son of the late Thomas R. and Myra (Gridley) Topham. Tom joined the Navy shortly after his 1947 graduation from Natick High School. He served as a cook aboard the Gearing class destroyer USS Rush (DD714) until 1952. Upon returning to the states, he studied at the Fannie Farmer Cooking School and worked as a sous-chef at the 1812 House in Framingham.
Tom and Nancy were wed on January 15, 1954. He was employed as a milkman with Twin Maples Farm of Saxonville for many years prior to joining the US Postal Service as a letter carrier in 1968. He delivered primarily on routes in Wayland until his 1992 retirement. A longtime coach for the Natick Comets, Natick Little League and the American Legion Babe Ruth team, he was among those who built Natick’s Chase Arena. Once retired, Tom rarely missed one of his grandchildren’s games or activities. He and Nancy enjoyed camping at Peter’s Pond in Sandwich and Alfred Lake in Maine, and he often went tuna fishing aboard the Little Imp out of Revere’s Broad Sound Tuna Club. A computer enthusiast in recent years, Tom reconnected with many old buddies from his USS Rush days. He most enjoyed time spent with his family, trips to Disney, and Neil Diamond concerts. Tom was also a huge Giants football fan.
He is survived by Nancy, their children, Barbara J. Rodriguez and husband Roberto of Natick, Thomas W. Topham, Jr, and wife Joanne of Sandwich, Timothy W. Topham of Natick, Terry W. Topham and wife Susan of Raleigh, NC, and Nancy Lee McNay and husband Kevin of Ashland; seven grandchildren, John Fede, Jr, Shannon Lee Mushrush, Jen Arnao, Thomas W. Topham, III, Jeremy Hand, Tabitha Tucker, Katelin Rodriguez, Eli Rodriguez, and Alison McNay; five great-grandchildren, Frankie, Trevor, Victor, Aylin, Kellen, Avery, and Sawyer Rose; a sister, Ann Taylor of Nova Scotia, a sister-in-law, Sr. Clarine O’Leary, CSM, of Nova Scotia; two brothers-in-law, Arthur O’Leary of Mansfield, and James O’Leary of Reading; and many nieces and nephews and their families. His grandson, Frankie; daughter-in-law, Gayle; two sisters, Grace Linscott and Ellen Cleveland; and two sisters-in-law, Josephine and Alice O’Leary, predeceased him.
His funeral will be from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common, on Wednesday, May 7th at 9:00a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial in Saint Patrick’s Church, 44 East Central Street, Natick, at 10:00a.m. Burial with military honors will follow at Saint Patrick Cemetery.
Visiting hours will be on Tuesday, 4 – 7p.m. Donations may be made in Tom’s memory to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Avenue Suite 902, NY, NY 10018.