Thomas A. Grigalunas Sr.

Thomas A. Grigalunas, Sr. passed peacefully at South County Hospital on Sunday, April 18, 2021 surrounded by his two children and wife, from complications due to Parkinson’s Disease. Thomas was born in South Boston, MA on March 31, 1943 to his parents, Joseph Grigalunas and Rosaria (Chinchillo) Grigalunas. He was raised in South Boston and lived there throughout his college years, while he attended Northeastern University and studied Accounting. He met his beloved wife of 53 years, Patricia (Hicks) Grigalunas, while both were working at MIT in Cambridge, MA. After marrying in 1968, the couple moved to College Park, MD where Thomas received a PhD in Environmental Resource Economics and both of his children, Susan (Grigalunas) Sancomb and Thomas A. Grigalunas, Jr., were born. He taught Resource Economics in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at The University of Rhode Island for 43 years, retiring in 2009. He was chairman of the department for several years in the 1980’s. He also ran a successful consulting company, Economics Analysis, Inc., with business partner, close friend and URI colleague, James Opaluch. Thomas and his wife have lived in South Kingstown and Narragansett, RI since 1972 and spent 10 winters living in The Villages, FL. His greatest joys were time spent with family and friends, traveling, watching the URI Mens Basketball teams’ games and all of his Boston sports teams, reading, golfing and walking the Narragansett sea wall and beach. He was an avid reader and always had a pile of books going and a pile “on deck.” He famously hosted the “Neighborhood Olympics” for the children of Rolling Acres in the 1970’s, and despite his busy work schedule, was often the coach or assistant coach for many of his children’s sports teams. He was passionate about education and always open to new life experiences. Among other adventures, he learned to sail in his 30’s, went on safari in Kenya, Africa, lived in Hawaii for six months, rode elephants in Thailand, hiked on glaciers in Alaska, rafted the Colorado River and traveled to both Italy and Lithuania to see where his ancestors had originated. He lived life to the fullest and was grateful for every experience. He was an energetic, creative and loving grandfather to his grandson, Forrest Thomas Sancomb. He was treasured by his family and will be great missed and always lovingly remembered and celebrated. He also leaves behind a son-in-law, Christopher Sancomb and daughter-in-law, Vivian (Wang) Grigalunas and five siblings, Pauline Carty, Joseph Grigalunas, Jr., Michael Griglaunas, David Grigalunas and Francis Grigalunas and many other dear family members and friends he cherished. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, April 29, 2021 from 3-5pm in Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St, Wakefield. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA) or Hope Hospice of Rhode Island.