James Joseph Tomczak, 86, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2024. He
was born on April 7, 1937, in Highland Park, Mich. He was the only
child of Agnes and Stanislaus Tomczak.
He was predeceased
by two grandsons, James Currie and Roger Schafer III. Jim is survived
by his loving wife, Kay Tomczak; their nine children: Elizabeth
(Roger) Schafer, Mary Susan (John) Currie, David (Patty), Andrew
(Argira Glama), Jennifer (Scott DuBois), Christine (Steve) Horton,
Kathleen (A.D.) Kent, Stephen, and Natalie (Joel) Bradford;
21grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Jim and Kay were
married on August 2,1958, in Detroit. Jim graduated from the
University of Detroit in 1961. They later moved to Poughkeepsie,
N.Y., before settling in Burlington, Vt., in 1968, where they
raised their nine children.
Jim worked for over
30 years at IBM as an electrical engineer. He contributed to many
patents during his time there. He graduated from Syracuse University
with a graduate degree in engineering in 1969, which coincided with
the year that his seventh child was born. After retirement from IBM,
he co-owned A&D Service Station in the North Avenue Shopping
Center, with his son David.
Jim had a great
sense of humor, and he was a loving husband and father. He was also a
man of deep faith. He and
Kay participated in many retreats and Bible studies and prayer
communities. He learned to play
the guitar, and he played and sang for prayer meetings and family
campfire gatherings. He was
active in both Catholic and Christian faith communities through the
years, most recently as a
member of Daybreak Church in Colchester.
Jim had a strong
sense of responsibility to others, and he was eager to help anyone
who came to him for assistance. He could repair or improve anything,
from carpentry to car repair. He volunteered at
Aspire Now, where he was named “Father of the House,” because he
helped put together cribs and
fix things. He was honest and compassionate. His work to help many
people with their finances
and taxes was featured in a WCAX senior spotlight. Always physically
active, he coached youth hockey teams for many years and later became
an avid pickleball player and champion.
Jim took great pride
in his ever-expanding family. He and Kay loved to attend their
children’s and grandchildren’s sports competitions, and they
enjoyed working in the yard and garden together.
It was a joy to
spend time with him, and he will be dearly missed by all who knew and
loved him. Visiting hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday,
March 13, at LaVigne Funeral Home in Winooski. Funeral services will
be celebrated on Thursday, March 14, at 11 a.m. at Daybreak Community
Church in Colchester. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to
Aspire Now, 5399 Williston Rd., # 207, Williston, VT 05495.
This article appears in Mar 6-12, 2024.