From his childhood days roaming the town woods of Milton, Mass. with his brothers to his final days meandering the landscape of his Halifax, Vt. property with his wife Nancy, nature was John Thomas’s playground. It was his happy place. From annual family camping trips to White Lake State Park, to flounder fishing on Boston Harbor, to maintaining the apiary and growing bountiful harvests of fruits and vegetables at his home in Randolph, Mass., to leading countless circuitous hikes in the White Mountains as the Scoutmaster of Boy Scouts Troop 12, John was at home outdoors.
A testament to his gentle demeanor, John passed away calmly in his sleep on April 9, 2023, aged 76 years. Born January 21, 1947 the second son of Lithuanian immigrants, John enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1966. He was stationed at Schwäbisch Hall Hessental Army Airfield and served as a baker during his three-year term.
One year later he met Nancy on a blind date at a skating rink in Milton and from 1973 on he was a Randolph resident. From 1975 until his retirement in 2009, John served dutifully as a carpenter in Local 33, honing craftsmanship skills that proved essential in bringing his and Nancy’s lifelong dream of building a log cabin on their Vermont property to fruition in 2010. John’s nearly unmatched ingenuity shone through in many facets of his life, and the cabin’s surrounds served as the best canvas for those skills to be on display—he had an innate ability to fashion wood and stone into practical applications. For those who knew him, he was always there to patch your roof, fix your car, cook you a delicious meal, make you laugh or whatever you needed.
He is survived by his wife Nancy of nearly 50 years, brothers Henry, Bunny and Robert, sons Jeffrey, Matthew and Ryan, and six grandchildren.
A Celebration of John’s life is coming in Summer 2023
Donations in John’s name can be made to the Halifax Vermont Historical Society. Please contact Andrea Rand at (802) 368-7157.