Official Obituary of Tom Kehoe from the Greenfield Recorder

Tom and Joyce

SHELBURNE FALLS, MA – Thomas P. “Tom” Kehoe, 61, of Severance St., passed away Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at the Buckley Health Care Center in Greenfield. Tom was born in Boston, MA, on Oct. 8, 1952, son of Thomas P. Jr. and Catherine G. (Fitzgerald) Kehoe. Tom was a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono with a B.A. in Sociology.

Tom spent most of life as a talented woodworker in the Shelburne Falls area; his hands and heart crafted countless beautiful pieces featured around Western Massachusetts, including renovation of the Shelburne Falls Trolley, the Shelburne Falls Wine Merchant, and many fine homes and cabinetry. His work will continue to be treasured by those who live and work amongst it, and his friends – local carpenters, painters, and more – are admired immensely by Tom’s wife and children.

Tom was a member of the Dzogchen Community of Conway and was a lover of nature, including the ocean, walks in the woods, birding and traveling to visit his children and partake in their adventures, such as trips to Denmark, Iceland, Costa Rica and Alaska. In addition to the great outdoors, Tom’s humble, kind, and spirited personality was always reflected in the books and poetry he read, the music he sang, and the amazing friends he kept in close company. Tom, his wife, and his children enjoyed good food, laughter, games, hiking and camping, dance parties in the kitchen, and philosophical conversations throughout all the wonderful years they had together.

Tom’s pride and joy was his wife and children; as a father, he made sure to attend sporting events, edit homework, and tell amazing bedtime stories. As his children grew up, he encouraged them to be students of life during their years at UMass Amherst and the journeys they embarked upon thereafter. As a husband, Tom was always in awe of the strength and beauty of his wife. As a young couple, they lived in India and in most recent years enjoyed relaxing on their porch with views of the mountains surrounding Shelburne Falls.

Tom is survived by his wife, Joyce A. (Mazanek) Kehoe, whom he married on July 16, 1983 at St. Patrick’s Church in Kent, Ohio; a son, Nathan Thomas Kehoe of Avon, CO; a daughter, Jennifer Rose Kehoe of Anchorage, Alaska and her fiancé Silas Tikaan Galbreath; his parents of Scituate, MA; four brothers, Paul (Rosalie, M) Kehoe of LaGrange Park, IL, Gerald (Donna) Kehoe of Milton, MA, James (Terri) Kehoe of Westborough, MA, Philip Kehoe of Scituate, MA; a sister, Elizabeth Finkenstaedt of Norwell, MA; brother and sisters-in-law, Steve and Trish Mazanek of South Fallsburg, NY, Alan and Trisha Mazanek of Ravenna, OH, and June and Bob Sitler of Deland, FL; mother-in-law, Rosemary Mazanek of Kent, OH, and many nieces, nephews.