Thomas P. McGunnigle
Thomas P. McGunnigle of Peconic died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. He was 76 years old.
Thomas was born Oct. 9, 1945, in Stony Brook, N.Y., to Agnes (Dittmeier) and Stephen J. McGunnigle. He was one of five children. He spent his early childhood on the family farm in Stony Brook. He attended St. Phillip and James Elementary School, graduated from St. Anthony’s High School and then went on to attend Siena College for one year.
Thomas lived in Southold Town for the past 60 years. On July 5, 1969, he married Judith Curran at Sacred Heart R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Together they celebrated 52 years of marriage and had four children. Being a man of all trades, he built his own house and made a beautiful home for his family on the farm where they lived.
He worked as a self-employed farmer and loved “working the land” on his machines. He would get up extra early to accomplish his farm work to then pursue his other passions like coaching, watching his kids play sports and playing golf whenever possible. He also worked as a coach in Southold and Greenport for the Southold school district and as a school bus driver for Montauk Bus Company. He was a member of Long Island Farm Bureau and a member of Sacred Heart Parish, where he was briefly a Pre-Cana instructor briefly.
Thomas was determined and strong-willed. He would accomplish anything he set his mind to. If you told him he couldn’t do something, he would be that much more determined to do it and prove you wrong. His positive thinking and determination got him through many health issues throughout his life. He never gave up when times got tough. He had a very close personal relationship with God and believed strongly in everlasting life with loved ones in Heaven.
He is survived by his wife, Judith; children, Thomas P. McGunnigle Jr. (Jen) of Mattituck, Daniel McGunnigle (Diane) of Southold, Teresa Zuhoski (Joe III) of Southold and Samantha Heidtmann (Jeff) of Southold; grandchildren, Emma McGunnigle, Tommy McGunnigle, Kenny McGunnigle, Joey Zuhoski, Matt McGunnigle, Allison Heidtmann, LeNeve Zuhoski, Jeffrey Heidtmann and Caitlin Heidtmann; and siblings Mary Specht of Setauket, N.Y., Agnes Dansereau of Greenport, Steve McGunnigle (Linda) of Avoca, N.Y., and Marge Chamberlin (Kevin) of Lynchburg, Va. He was predeceased by his brother-in-laws Al Specht and Roland Dansereau and sister-in-law Carol McGunnigle.
The family will receive visitors Friday, Nov. 5, from 4 to 8 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, with Msgr. Joseph Staudt officiating. The Rite of Committal will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to Southold Fire Department Rescue Squad.
This is a paid notice.
