NEWBURYPORT − The U.S. flag at the Custom House Maritime Museum flew at half-staff last week to honor Thom Gould, a great friend of the museum, a former director and past chair of the board. Born in December 1944, he passed away on Aug. 10.
A vice chair of the museum board last year, Gould is remembered for his lively sense of humor, spirited conversations and love of good music and food. A lifelong baseball fan from playing Little League as a boy to being an ardent fan of the Red Sox, he modeled the T in his signature after baseball great Ted Williams’s calligraphic autograph.
To recognize his and his wife Alice’s contribution to the museum, the Alice and Thom Gould Gallery bears their name.
In addition to his service to the maritime museum, he served as director and vice-president of the Sons and Daughters of the First Settlers of Old Newbury and of the Providence chapter of the American Production and Inventory Control Society. For many years, Thom volunteered to provide tax assistance to Senior Center clients.
He was a graduate of Newburyport High School in 1962 and Tufts College in 1966 with a degree in math. He earned a master’s degree in engineering from Northeastern University and spent most of his career with Texas Instruments in Attleboro where he helped manage the corporation’s Reliability Engineering, Quality Assurance, Manufacturing, Materials Management and Financial Planning positions.
For about half of his career, he was involved with the corporation’s international operations, which provided him the opportunity to experience the diverse cultures of Europe, Japan, Asia, Australia and the Americas.
Gould married Alice Benschneider in 1968, and they spent the next 58 years together until Thom’s death. Following their retirements, they moved to Newburyport.
He is survived by his wife, his brother, Robert and wife Catherine of Haverhill; his sister-in-law, Susan Benschneider of York, ME, plus cousins, nieces and dear friends near and far. ♦
