LONGTIME PHYSICIAN, BC SUPPORTER
Thomas J. Giblin, Jr., M.D., 90, of Wellesley, MA, and Naples, FL, entered into Eternal Rest on Monday, April 23, surrounded by his family, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s Disease. A quintessential gentleman and a person of great integrity, character, compassion and grace, Tom was a beloved physician, as well as a dedicated and proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather, a lifelong supporter of Boston College and many civic organizations, and a true friend to all who knew him.
Born in Boston on May 4, 1927, to the late Thomas J. Giblin, Sr., D.M.D., and Catherine O’Shea Giblin, Tom grew up on Commonwealth Avenue, in the shadow of Fenway Park, where he developed a lifelong love of the Red Sox.
He attended Walnut Park School, Boston Latin School and Boston College High School, then entered St. John’s Seminary, where he spent a year before deciding that his calling in life was to serve others through medicine. He matriculated at Boston College, graduating in 1950, and from then on, a large part of his heart and soul resided at “The Heights” in Chestnut Hill. Together, with his late wife and soul mate, Joan, “The Doc” traveled the country with the Eagles football and basketball teams, was a three-sport ticket holder for several decades, and was a founding member of the Blue Chips, now known as The Flynn Fund. Joan and Tom became the “adoptive parents” of dozens of BC student-athletes over the years, offering a home-away-from-home as well as wise counsel on countless occasions. He was honored by Boston College in 2015 with the John P. Curley ‘13 Alumni Award for outstanding service and support to the university over many decades.
Tom’s love of BC started at the age of six, when he accompanied his father, who was the football team’s dentist, to all the games. He befriended many BC greats, including Mike Holovak, Charlie O’Rourke, Chet Gladchuk, Sr., and Frank Leahy, and over the years traveled with the teams to countless games, including the 1940 Cotton Bowl and 1941 Sugar Bowl, among many others. Tom was “an Eagle” through and through.
After graduating from Boston College, Tom earned his medical degree from Georgetown University in 1954. It was at Georgetown that he met his first wife, Joan, a fellow medical school student. He continued his training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, served two years as a Captain in the Air Force Reserves, stationed at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod, then began his 36-year OB/GYN practice in Waltham, MA. He was an active member of the medical staffs at Waltham Hospital, Newton-Wellesley Hospital and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Tom considered obstetrics to be “the most joyful field in medicine.” He retired from practice in 1993 after delivering more than 6,000 babies. He was known for his caring demeanor and love for his patients.
Tom served as the director of the gynecological clinics at Boston College and Regis College for many years; was a clinical instructor at Tufts Medical School and Boston University School of Medicine; was a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, the New England OB/GYN Association, the American Medical Association, the St. Luke’s Guild for Catholic Physicians, and the American Fertility Society. He was a staunch right-to-life advocate. Tom also served for 40 years on the Board of Directors of the Mt. Washington Co-operative Bank in South Boston, which his grandfather founded, and was on the St. Sebastian’s School Board of Directors for many years. He was also a member of the Knights of Malta.
Tom’s true passions in life were his faith, friends and, above all, his cherished family, which he considered his greatest legacy. He loved nothing more than being with his 5 children and 18 grandchildren, attending everything over the years from athletic contests to drama productions to graduations; he delighted in family time above all else. He was a man of great kindness with a calm, friendly demeanor, a wonderful sense of humor, and a delightful twinkle in his eye. He served as an incomparable role model to his family, and will be greatly missed.
Tom was predeceased by his wife, Joan, to whom he was married for 45 years before her death in 2000. In addition to his second wife, Katherine “Kay” (Cotter) Giblin, with whom he enjoyed 14 years of marriage, Tom is survived by his brother, Gerrald A. Giblin (Charlotte), of Washington, D.C.; his five children, Thomas J. Giblin, III (Jen Arsenault), of Shrewsbury, MA, Katherine G. Stark (Peter), of Middletown, RI, Walter J. “Bud” Giblin, M.D. (Maureen), of Chevy Chase, MD, James G. Giblin, M.D. (Peggy), of Wheaton, IL, Joan G. McCabe (Jim), of Weston, MA, and his stepchildren, Susan Shain, of Merrimac, MA, and David Cotter, of Oakland, CA; his 18 grandchildren, Gus, Annika, Tom, Michael, Maggie, Katie, Michael, Colleen, Genevieve, Patrick, Brian, Matthew, Jim, Tommy, Kelly, Jimmy, Taylor and Kelsey; a great-grandson, Nathan; and many nieces, nephews and countless friends.
Tom’s family would like to offer its profound gratitude to his devoted caregivers from Home Helpers and the tireless, compassionate professionals of the Parmenter Hospice team. We are forever indebted to each of them.
Visiting hours at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St. (Rt.16), Wellesley, Sunday, April 29, from 3-7pm. Funeral Mass in St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, 28 Commonwealth Ave., Newton, on Monday, April 30, at 10am. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Interment in Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Tom’s memory may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, MA/RI Chapter, 220 North Main Street, Natick, MA, 01760; or The Joan S. and Thomas J. Giblin ’50 Athletic Scholarship Fund, Office of Athletic Development, Boston College, 320 Conte Forum, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.