Thomas Anthony Hannigan (Age 82)
May 2, 1935 – January 5, 2018
Born in Evergreen Park, IL
Resided in Calverton and Silver Spring, MD
Thomas Hannigan was born May 2, 1935 and passed away peacefully on January 5, 2018 at the age of 82. Tom leaves his loving wife of 57 years, Del Rita Hannigan, sons Timothy and Patrick (Aileen), daughters Kathleen (Bill) Egan and Ellen, as well as grandchildren David and Charles Egan, and Megan and Michael Hannigan. Tom is preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Anna Hannigan and his brother John (Jack) Hannigan. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Blvd,. W, Silver Spring, MD 20901 on Monday, January 15, from 7 to 9 pm. Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Baptist Church, 12319 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, on Tuesday, January 16 at 10:30 to 11:30 am. Interment MD Veteran’s Cemetery – Crownsville.
Tom lived his life with great enthusiasm and charged with gusto into every activity. He met Del after a Chicago Black Hawks hockey game and they married in Chicago in 1960. They had four children within five years. In 1965, they moved to the Washington, D.C. area where Tom pursued a career opportunity at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) headquarters. They raised their family in Calverton, MD and were blessed with over 50 years of wonderful friendships.
Tom was passionate about his career with the IBEW. He was a 55-year member beginning as an electrician in the City of Chicago Local 134 in 1956. After relocating to the Washington DC International Office, he served various roles as Director of Research and Education, Secretary of the Pension Benefit Inc. and eventually as Executive Assistant to the International Secretary. He cherished his relationships with IBEW friends and family members, and proudly worked to redefine labor unions and provide a sense of community. Tom was a member of several boards and committees, serving as Consultant to President Johnson’s Commission on Urban Housing and President Nixon’s Commission on Low Income Housing. He was also appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the U. S. Metric Board in 1978, confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
He had an entrepreneurial spirit, strong work ethic and desire to continually learn and stretch himself. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD in 1991 at 56 years old. He also completed an Executive Education Program at Harvard Graduate School of Business in Boston, MA. Tom went on to write a book “Managing Tomorrow’s High-Performance Unions”, which was published in 1998.
Tom enjoyed being involved in the community and with his children’s activities. He served as Director and President of the Calverton Swim Club, various leadership roles in local democratic clubs and presidential campaign committees, and hockey coach of High Point High School and the Capital Boy’s Hockey Club. He enjoyed skiing and played hockey in a senior’s recreation league for many years. He won a gold medal in the Senior Olympics as a member of the Geri-Hatricks senior ice hockey team. He and Del were avid season ticket fans of the Capitals and the University of MD Terps.
Tom delighted in his Irish heritage, blues music, going to concerts and traveling with Del to many places, including Ireland, New Zealand and Iceland. He felt guided by a strong sense of faith in God and was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Silver Spring, MD. Tom served his country proudly in the U.S. Army during the time of the Korean War. He will be buried at the Maryland Veterans Administration Cemetery in Crownsville, MD.
A special thanks to Arden Courts in Silver Spring for their compassionate care in his later years. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers donations can be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation (Parkinson.org).
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