On May 5, 2023, after months of battling cancer, Tom Feagley died at his home in Malden. He was 76 years old.
Tom dedicated his life to making the world a better place through spreading peace and adding color. He did this through his devotion to his extended family, to feeding the hungry, and for more than 50 years, to protesting against war, violence, racism and social injustice and advocating in support of peace, social justice, the homeless, and anyone in need.
Tom also was a well-known local artist. He leaves behind a legacy of paintings, sketches, feather and felt crafts, poems and songs inspired by his life experiences and travels to Belize, Ireland, Scotland, France, Poland, China and across the US. Tom was always on the move.
Tom was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, on June 8, 1946, and spent the majority of his youth in Marlborough, New Hampshire. Always drawing, painting or writing poems from a young age, Tom entered the University of New Hampshire as an art major, but graduated with a BS in Social Work and later obtained a Masters in educational counseling and psychology.
Tom moved to the Malden area in the late 1970's and lived and worked there for the rest of his life. After eight years at the Massachusetts Department of Employment Security and five more as coordinator and then director of The Gathering Place, a mental health center, Tom found his true calling in 1987, running programs that fed the hungry. For the next 31 years, Tom managed supper and pantry programs for those in need, first at St Paul's Parish Supper Program in Malden and then for more than thirty years at Bread of Life where he was the Executive Director. There, he ministered to those in need, expanded the Bread of Life food programs beyond Malden to neighboring communities and worked to get funding to build a permanent home for all of Bread of Life's programs. Through collaborations and partnerships, that dream is now being realized with the construction of Bread of Life's new home at 54 Eastern Avenue in Malden. The ribbon cutting is planned for this winter.
Tom is predeceased by his parents, Walter and Laura Feagley, and his sister, Kathryn Feagley Gamache. He is survived by his brother Michael Feagley and his wife Kathy, his brother-in-law Peter Gamache and his wife Linda, nephews Christopher Gamache and his wife Kristina, Brian Gamache, Matthew Feagley and Andrew Feagley, and five great-nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Tom's Life will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2023, from 3:30 to 7:30 pm, in the back cafeteria of Malden High School. At Tom's request, a community meal will be served there following speeches about Tom. Anyone who knew Tom is invited to come and speak of their favorite memories of Tom and share a meal with Tom's family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, please donate in Tom's name to your local food pantry, teen center or homeless shelter and always spread PEACE.