Obituary
Thomas “Tom” Earl Nixon, 83, husband of Barbara Adele Nixon, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on October 27, 2025. Tom was born in Mount Vernon, New York on May 13, 1942 to the late A. Helen Nixon and the late Thomas Earl Nixon Sr. He met and fell in love with his partner in life Barbara (nee Morgenroth) when they lived “around the corner” from each other in Bronx, New York. Tom graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering along with his M.B.A. from Cornell University.
Tom and Barbara married in 1964 and moved to Midland, Michigan where Tom worked for Dow Chemical in the plastics division. In 1967 their daughter Elizabeth was born and soon after they moved to North Branford, Connecticut where Tom worked for IBM in sales & marketing. Jennifer was born in 1969 and along with Daisy the beagle, the young family was complete.
In 1974, Tom and Barbara moved their family to Wilton, CT to work with Bakers Pride Oven Company, a family business which manufactured restaurant equipment including charbroilers and pizza ovens.
When the daughters married and the grandchildren came along, Tom became known as “Poppa”. The best gift he ever gave his family was the time and space to be together. He hosted pizza nights and holidays in Connecticut and Florida and summer vacations in Cape Cod. His family will remember him on the beach, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, looking for seals, and swimming in the ocean with his grandchildren. They will continue to see him in the waves and sunsets.
Tom and Barbara spent about 30 retired years visiting family, traveling and involved in their communities (Wilton, Cape Cod and Orlando). Tom was a very active resident at Legacy Pointe of UCF and coordinated the Lifestyles committee, worked with HOPE Helps and helped plan many ongoing resident activities.
Tom is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara; daughters Elizabeth Waskom (Keith) and Jennifer Davatzes (Geody); and grandchildren Kailey Waskall (Justin Waskall), Connor Waskom (Aine Filler), Julia Davatzes and Nicholas Davatzes. His memory lives on in countless other friends who he considered family.
Donations can be made in memory of Thomas Nixon to HOPE Helps. Online donations can be made at https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E165483&id=5. Please donate through the “In Honor/Memory of” section and include Tom Nixon. Checks made out to HOPE Helps can be mailed to 812 Eyrie Dr., Oviedo, FL 32765, with a note in the memo section that the gift is in memory of Tom Nixon.
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