Thomas Clark Moseley Sr., 93, of Woods Hole, MA, a beloved patriarch and scion and a Harvard athlete, passed away on Sept. 16.
Thomas Moseley Sr., 93, passed away Sept. 16. A Celebration of Life event will be held Oct. 6.
He was born in Boston as the youngest of five children (and the only child to be born in a hospital).
Raised in Dover, MA, he graduated from the Westminster School, Class of 1942, where he was captain of both hockey and baseball teams, as well as Co-MVP football and school prefect.
A member of Harvard’s Class of 1946, he was a member of the AD and Hasty Pudding, played football and hockey, and quarterbacked an undefeated JV football team. He declined an offer to play pro-hockey for the Boston Olympics at $100 per week, a lot of money in 1949.
Legendary college hockey historian Kip Farrington named Tom and his brothers Fred and Bill (all from Massachusetts) to the Collegiate All Stars during set time periods in his book Skates, Sticks, and Men.
During World War II, before Air Corps flight schools were closed, Tom logged 10 hours flying Aronka planes on skis in South Dakota. All from the school were sent to the infantry instead of becoming officers as pilot, navigator or bombardier.
He then served in the Third Army, earning the Combat Infantry Badge and three Battle Stars in the Battle of the Bulge, Belgium, and Germany (France). Tom’s father was, in World War I, in the same 76th Division as Tom.
Tom became a corporate executive of Union Carbide in New York City and Danbury, Connecticut, traveling extensively on domestic and international business, and on occasion, exploring with Wisty.
He was a long-time resident of Darien; Naples, Florida; and Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
He served on boards of Windstar Country Club in Naples, FL; Woods Hole Golf Club; Harvard Clubs in Connecticut and Florida and a member in New York City; New Canaan Winter Club; Wickham Rise School, National Art Museum of Sports, Dubois Crisis Center, Darien Winter Club.
He was co-founder and president of Morningstar Association and Windstar Golf Association and a co-founder of the club. A frequent volunteer, he worked with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Yale Career Services, Meals on Wheels (in Florida and Massachusetts), and coached, refereed and umpired sports.
Tom initiated an Audubon Sanctuary, culminating in an “Audubon International Award,” as one of 200 environmental courses in the United States. Tom was an incredibly well-read, informed person, and a source of great advice and wit.
He regularly sent his children and grandchildren letters with clippings of novel slants on things that might be of interest to them. His quest for learning and adventure never waned — attending lectures, musical concerts, and attending Harvard football and hockey games or the games of his children/grandchildren, for which he would travel great distances.
His fierce competitiveness was unmatched, and at the golf course he always sank the difficult putt with the match on the line. Tom played men’s hockey into his 50s, including participating in the hockey senior Olympics, sailed competitively for many years on Long Island sound, and played for his company’s and club’s men’s golf and tennis teams.
Finally, his unselfishness with his time, intellect, and resources made him indispensable to every organization of which he was a volunteer or member. If you wanted to get something done you would call Tom Moseley.
He is pre-deceased by his parents, Mary Livingston Rice and Frederick Russell Moseley of Dover, MA; his brothers Fred, Bill, and Bob; his sister, Ardelle Fullerton; and his son, Tom.
He leaves his wife Elizabeth “Wisty” DeCoster Moseley of 67 years; three children: Christine (Mark), Lisa, and Peter (Lisa); 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.
A celebration of his life is planned for 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 6 at the Church of the Messiah in Woods Hole, MA. Reception will be at the Woods Hole Golf Club, where the flag is flying at half-mast to commemorate his vibrant personality, popularity and contributions to that golfing community.