Thomas John Joseph McAuliffe, age 88, longtime resident of Sandy Hook, died a very happy man Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Newtown. He was a widower of Eleanor Hartmann McAuliffe, who passed away in 2007.

Thomas was born in Manhattan, N.Y., March 19, 1932, the son of Thomas and Katherine Hart McAuliffe. He attended and graduated from Immaculate Conception Grammar School and Cardinal Hayes High School, Class of 1950, in The Bronx. He received a football scholarship to NYU but had it cut short by the Korean War when he joined the Air Force in 1951.

The majority of his service years were spent in Yuma, Ariz., at the Yuma Air Force Base. On release, in 1955, Thomas went to work for Pan American Airways as a sales rep in their New York office. In 1958 he joined the Xaverian Brothers and graduated from Catholic University in Washington, DC in 1964. In 1966 he returned to secular life teaching at Xavier High School, Middletown, Immaculate High School, Danbury, and finally Joel Barlow High School in Redding, from which he retired in 1992.

As a young man, Thomas was devoted to athletics. While he later coached baseball and football at the high school level, he was most fond of basketball.

Earning his Masters in Teaching Arts at Fairfield University and Maryknoll, N.Y., he developed a keen interest in Latin American history and social political movements. He integrated that information into his Spanish classes and led his Joel Barlow High School students to develop an exchange program in 1983 with the South Bronx Hispanic youth. In the following years, Tom volunteered to support migrant workers in Raleigh, N.C., (1984-1985) and had a wonderful time getting to know them and bringing back that experience to his students.

Thomas was recognized and awarded Easton-Redding Region 9 Teacher of the Year in 1984, Teacher of the Year for Hispanic Studies by the CT Education Association in 1985, and recognized for Teaching Excellence by the University of CT in 1986.

He is survived by a daughter, Ms Kathi McAuliffe Crum, and her children, Penn Crum and Lance Corporal Elison Crum USMC, of Pine, Colorado. He is also survived by two stepchildren, Clayton Allen, of New Jersey, his daughters Anaka Allen and Sophia Allen of New York City, and Glynis Allen Martin of Pennsylvania, and her sons, Nate, Ben, and Joey. Thomas was ever grateful for the love, generosity, and kindness from his children and grandchildren; his cousins, Judy Holahan and Jane Popp and their families, and his children in spirit, Tam Tran, Minh Nguyen, Stephanie Nguyen, Thao Tang, Hung Le, Nguyet Le, James Nguyen, Don Le, and Chi Nguyen, all of whom dearly loved Thomas and were likewise dearly loved by him.

Services for Mr McAuliffe will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Xaverien Brothers, 4409 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore,MD 21229 or Cardinal Hayes High School, 650 Grand Concourse The Bronx, NY 10451.