Thomas James Dillon

June 28th 1927 – November 28th 2015

Thomas Dillon of Harwich Port, formally of Arlington, a Physics teacher at Concord-Carlisle High school and U.S. Navy veteran of World War ll, died peacefully on November 28th at the age of 88.

Tom was born in Milton and was the second of five children of Kenneth and Mildred Dillon. He later moved to Arlington where he lived for almost 60 years until he retired to Cape Cod. Tom graduated from Arlington High School on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at the age of 16. Three weeks later he turned 17 and enlisted in the Navy to join the war effort. Prior to being stationed, Tom took on a part time job delivering milk by horse and carriage for the Cummings Milk Company. One day while on the job, he was passing the fire station in Arlington center when the horse he was directing was startled by the sudden blast of the noon time horn. The frightened horse bucked, breaking Tom’s right leg. The Navy would have to wait 3 months for his leg to recover before enlisting him

Upon returning from the war, Tom received his Bachelors and Master’s degrees from Tufts University and later completed an Academic Year Institute at Harvard. In 1951 he married Mary Hogan of Cambridge, before beginning his teaching career as a math and science teacher at Case High School in Swansea. He later transferred to Concord-Carlisle High School in the fall of 1953 where he remained for 37 years teaching Physics.

Along with his high school teaching, Tom was a Past President of the New England chapter of the American Association of Physics teachers. And he was one of several consultants with the Physical Science Study Committee, which was formed by the National Science Foundation to revise high school physics curriculum nationwide. Mr. Dillon co-authored a high school physics textbook and made several teaching films modeled after this program designed to help teach physics in this country. During the summer months in the 1960’s he taught teachers the PSSC program at Universities in India and Turkey.

Tom’s retirement years were spent at his summer home on Cape Cod, where his passion was wood working. He always said that if you knew math you can build anything. His cabinet making was in high demand as friends and family kept him busy making furniture that they were in need of. Tom also enjoyed tending to the garden and was a faithful monthly Poker player with his circle of friends right up to the time of his death. When recently asked in a survey from Tufts University, his alma mater, what he enjoyed most in retirement he replied: tutoring his grandchildren in math.

Tom is predeceased by his wife Mary. (They recently celebrated their 64th wedding Anniversary). And his five children and their spouses: Thomas Jr. and his wife Nancy (Bukoski) of Swarthmore PA, David and wife Juliane (Bonchack) of West Dennis, Garrett and wife Kathie (Wheaton) of Milford, Paul and wife Karen (Koretsky) of Arlington and daughter Beth Savage of Harwich Port. He is also survived by 11 Grandchildren: TJ, Brian and Kevin Dillon, Jordan and Jenna Savage, Sara and Parker Dillon, David and Alexandra Dillon and Rachel and Michael Dillon.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial at the Holy Trinity Church located at 246 Main St., West Harwich on Saturday January 9, 2016 at 11:00AM. Services will conclude with burial at Island Pond cemetery on Island Pond Rd. in Harwich. For obituary, directions or to send an online condolence please visit: doanebealamesharwich.com