Thomas Joseph Gilligan III, 70, of Springfield, TN, died at his home where he had lived for 15 years on Sunday August 9, 2026. Born August 25, 1955 in Ipswich, Massachusetts, he was the eldest son of the late Thomas Joseph Jr and Virginia Gilligan. He is survived by his wife Penny Gilligan, his children Laurie Gilligan and her husband Peter in Colorado, Christine Noland and her husband Steve in Montana, his grandchildren Liana, Adrian, Samuel, Daniel, and Deborah; his siblings Kathleen Salangsang and husband Rick, Patty Burroughs and husband Steve, and Matt Gilligan and wife Linda; his five bonus children of Penny’s family – Jennifer, Shellie, Lily, Kevin Jr., and Hannah; and nine additional grandchildren.
Tom graduated from St John’s Preparatory school in 1973 and attended college at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He studied machinery, then worked as an engineer with patented inventions and as a skilled machinist. From his first marriage, he had two children who he loved dearly. Tom married his soulmate Penny Gilligan in 2004. They shared twenty-two years of marriage in Tennessee, and celebrated their 20th anniversary in Oahu. Tom was a joyful, deeply caring man who prioritized family, the land, and adventure alike. He doted on his children and grandchildren, and took many cross-country road trips to visit family where he explored their state’s rivers, lakes, mountains, rocks, music, and communities. Tom loved gathering with neighborhood friends for big bonfires, and spoiling his dogs with the best bites of food and a seat or lap at the kitchen table. He was enthusiastic about his many hobbies, big gardens, and fresh-caught or homegrown cooking; he collected treasures like rocks, stamps, coins, and antiques; and he cherished traditions like oystering with his brother and cooking Polish holiday meals. He had a huge mischievous smile that got everyone else laughing and finding the wacky in the everyday.
He was an exuberantly creative artist, with a signature style of strong black lines carrying wavy colorful landscapes that shared his playful vision of the land and sentimental appreciation of moments in time, and he created sculptures from simple mixed materials that were striking and unique. He was an avid gardener, growing large vegetables for county fair contests and richly-composted gardens with wildly abundant tomatoes. Tom was often by the water, spending many early adult years in his boat on the Atlantic catching lobster and striped bass while summer-commuting to a beloved off-the-grid Massachusetts island between work weeks, and later, fishing where he lived in Tennessee. In retirement he spent peaceful time at Lincoln Lake with his wife where he became an expert at catching catfish the size of sea-monsters.
Tom Gilligan always had a good story, a community of friends, and big love for family. He was grounded in his faith throughout life, raised Catholic and later gathering with his community for bible study. With late-discovered cancer, he departed before his life list of adventures was completed, but in his last summer he planted surprise zinnias for his wife, a testament to Tom’s legacy of fun, growing gardens, caring for loved ones, and appreciating all the moments. He will be deeply missed. There will be a visitation on Wednesday August 12, 2026 at 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. followed by a service at 4 p.m., at Robertson County Funeral Home, in Springfield, Tennessee. Another celebration of life will be held at a later date in Massachusetts, where Tom grew up and will be laid to rest.
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This obituary was published by Robertson County Funeral Home.
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