Thomas V. Gillman Jr. ’49

Tom died Nov. 7, 2014, in Eugene, Ore., surrounded by his wife and family.

A native of Long Island, N.Y., he came to Princeton from Huntington High School. While on campus, Tom rowed on the 150-pound crew, sang in the Glee Club, and worked as a waiter in Commons. His undergraduate career was interrupted by Army service from September 1946 to January 1948, and after returning to campus, he majored in biology and chemistry. He married Mary Agnes Trani in June 1949, and they lived in the Harrison Street projects for his last two undergraduate years.

Over the years he spent as an education professional, teacher, and consultant, Tom earned degrees from four other universities after earning a bachelor’s at Princeton. His creative and analytic abilities made him a jack of all trades, and not just within teaching: his diverse skills included boat-building, piloting small aircraft, playing tennis, singing, math tutoring, and developing alternative-energy systems.

As he said in our 50th reunion book, “I like to think that sagacity is the primary outcome of the Princeton education.” Tom was truly a versatile man.

The class extends its deepest condolences to his wife and their six children.