Thomas J. Boodell Jr. ’57

Tom died Aug. 31, 2023, of complications of dementia. He was one of our former class presidents and a prominent Chicagoan.

Tom attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill. At Princeton, he majored in history, joined Cap & Gown Club, and played football and baseball for two years. Deciding to devote more time to other activities, he became chairman of the Honor Committee and executive member of the Orange Key and head of the Keyceptor program. He also became president of our class and commanding officer of the NROTC battalion. Senior year he roomed in the “executive suite” in Blair Hall with many other classmates.

Following graduation, Tom served for three years in the Navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant junior grade, and then earned a law degree at Harvard. During this period, he met and married Beata Bergman. Returning to Chicago, he joined his father’s law firm, and then chaired the international practice area for Piper, Rudnick et al., also attaining success as a civil-rights attorney when he helped to outlaw discriminatory contract practices involving Black homebuyers. Leaving the large firm in 2000, Tom became principal in his own firm with four other attorneys. He also found time to chair the Chicago Children’s Choir and to serve as a board member of the Catholic Theological Union.

Tom is survived by his wife of more than 61 years, Beata; their four children, Beata B. Corcoran ’85, Mary Boodell (Davis), Peter ’93, and David ’93; and their families.