Born in Chicago, he was the son of the late Thomas and Lucille (Stenson) McGuire.
Tom studied at Brother Rice High School in Chicago before moving on to the University of Illinois in 1960. After finishing at U of I with a degree in history and education, Tom entered the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era. Stationed in Kaiserslautern, Tom met his wife Maggie during his time in Germany, and they moved back to Chicago where they started their family.
In 1974 they moved to the Netherlands, where Tom began teaching US History and Economics at the American School of the Hague (ASH). It was there that Tom and Maggie made their home for the next 33 years, making many lifelong friends along the way. Tom was a beloved teacher and coach, delighting his students with his quick wit and keen sense of humor.
In 2007, Tom and Maggie moved back to the US and settled in Providence, Rhode Island to be closer to their family. He enjoyed spending more time with his children, his brother and his granddaughter. During this time, Tom was also a dedicated caregiver for Maggie who fell ill with Alzheimer’s and passed in 2017.
Growing up on the southside of Chicago, Tom loved the Chicago Bears, the Chicago White Sox, the University of Notre Dame, and anyone who played the Chicago Cubs. His Army days in Germany instilled a deep love of travel. He and Maggie loved nothing more than taking trips along the Rhine, taking the kids skiing in Austria (he was more about the après ski) or discovering a castle in Ireland, many of these trips shared with close family and friends. He treasured his time as a teacher at ASH, both in the classroom and on the basketball court as a coach. He was a fixture within the ASH community and forged lifelong friendships with his students and colleagues.
Tom is survived by his brother Daniel McGuire (Chicago, Illinois) and his wife Nancy (Katich) McGuire, his son Daniel McGuire (Lincoln, Rhode Island) and his longtime companion Leonarda Conti, his daughter Kerry (McGuire) Sell (Cornwall, Vermont) and her husband Christopher Sell, and his loving granddaughter, Kiera Sell.
A private interment with Military Honors will take place at Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, RI. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the American Stroke Association (www.stroke.org) in memory of Thomas McGuire.
For online condolences, please visit www.pontarellimarinofunerals.com.
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