SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Thomas Klock Hitchcock, 79, passed away May 24, 2024. He was born Dec. 16, 1944, in East Hartford, Conn., the son of Brainard and Elizabeth (Milne) Hitchcock.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a radar operator in Germany during the Vietnam era. Upon returning from his service, he married Linda Schilpp on Jan. 27, 1968.
Tom was a woodworker, singer, and guitarist, who performed in coffee houses, pubs, and private gatherings in Connecticut, Vermont, and Maine. He and his wife Linda ran The Atlantic Coffee House in New Britain, Conn., in the late 60s and 70s. They moved to Vermont in the 1970s, where Tom worked as a builder for many years.
Later, he worked in the mental health field. He worked with clients, and went on to be the facility manager. He worked in Springfield, Vt.; Lebanon, N.H.; and Saco, Maine. His last job was for VABIR in the JOBs Program, where he helped disabled clients find and train for jobs in the Springfield, Vt., area.
He loved to be outdoors, enjoying nature, camping, and hiking. As an Eagle Scout, Tom became the scoutmaster for a troop in Chester, Vt.
Tom is survived by his wife of 56 years Linda (Schilpp); son Keith Hitchcock; grandchildren Nathan, Matthew, Emily (Matt), and Isabelle; great-grandchildren Avery, Reagan, and Theodore; sister Jane (Richard) Platt; nephews Richard and James Platt, Peter Schilpp, and Jeremy Barrett; nieces Samantha Mather and Brandy Barrett; and sister-in-law Jo-Ann Barrett.
He is predeceased by his brother John Keith Hitchcock; brother-in-law Peter Joseph Schilpp; father-in-law Joseph P. Schilpp; and mother-in-law Ada (Shove) Schilpp.
A memorial service will be held at the Davis Memorial Chapel on June 21, at 2 p.m. The Rev. Thomas Charlton will officiate.