Thomas A. Connelly

February 19, 1961 – September 1, 2025

Thomas Aquinas Connelly, 64, of Brightwaters, New York, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2025, after a long illness.

Named by his father for St. Thomas Aquinas, the great philosopher-saint, Thomas was born on February 19, 1961, in Manhattan, New York. Thomas was the beloved son of Maureen (nee Russell) Connelly and the late Thomas Joseph Connelly. The family moved from Manhattan to North Babylon and finally to Brightwaters, where his childhood was filled with seven siblings and shenanigans.

As a toddler, Thomas nearly lost his life in a house fire. The third-degree burns and the resulting coma required months of intensive care and rehabilitation. Despite these early challenges, Thomas graduated from Bay Shore High School and went on to graduate from Manhattan College, his father's alma mater. That his son would continue the Manhattan College Christian Brothers tradition of educating the whole person—mind, heart, and spirit—was a source of great pride for his father.

Thomas's greatest accomplishment and most enduring legacy are his children: James Russell Connelly of Chapel Hill, NC; Elizabeth Anne Connelly of Berkeley Heights, NJ; Thomas Sheridan Connelly of Chester, NH; and Patrick Kenny Connelly of Mansfield, MA. He took immense pride in each of them.

A cherished member of a large and loving family, Thomas was the dear brother of Maura Watters, Annamarie Monks, Peter Connelly, Jeanellen Vapsva, Patrick Connelly, Matthew Connelly, and the late Stephen Connelly. His seven siblings served as both companions and co-conspirators in countless adventures, travels, and the delightful pandemonium of a bustling household.

Thomas was a loving uncle and great-uncle to the next generations of Connellys - 18 nieces and nephews and 6 more grand-nieces and nephews.

Though he had triumphed over early adversity, Thomas faced his greatest challenge when illness struck while he was a father to his young children. After years living in New York City and North Carolina, he returned to his boyhood home in Brightwaters for the final 14 years of his life.

Thomas's ultimate caregiver was his 93-year-old mother, who lovingly and devotedly remained by his side throughout his long illness. She embodied St. Thomas Aquinas’ conviction that love is the reason for everything. Thomas's brother, Peter, was a constant presence in his life when Thomas became ill and a steadfast advocate for him.

His family is also deeply grateful to those caregivers who went above and beyond to show Thomas genuine kindness and dignity throughout his extended illness. Their tenderness, compassion, and professionalism allowed him to be well cared for even as his illness progressed.

The Celebration of Life Liturgy was held at St. Patrick's R.C. Church in Bay Shore, New York, on September 5, 2025. Thomas's family gathered to honor a man whose legacy lives on in his adored children.

Arrangements by Claude R. Boyd–Spencer Funeral Home of Babylon, NY.