Thomas Nessel, age 63, son of Charles E. and Mary E. Nessel, was a life-long resident of Wilton. He graduated Wilton High School in 1968, Yale University in 1972 and University of Indiana law school, eventually practicing law in Bethel until a rare cancer forced him to leave the profession.
Over the years he also coached golf at Joel Barlow High School and Western Connecticut State University. Along these lines, with golf as a main hobby, Tom immersed himself in golf history, literature, equipment, and instruction. He wrote, but never published, a book on the golf swing, claiming to have cracked the elusive code that separates the elite golfers from everyone else. He said that the reason he did not reveal his findings was that, “it will make the game too easy and probably ruin the game for most people.”
An All State basketball player while at Wilton High, Tom always though it amusing that he still holds the all-time points scored record at 1,072.
“Forty-five years is too long for any record to stand,” he recently quipped.
His main goal in life was always “to be a better human being,” and those who knew him would attest that he succeeded.
He is survived by his younger brother John and wife JoAnn Nessel of Wilton, his older brother Charles Edward Jr. and wife Leona Nessel of Bethel, and nieces Pam Nessel of Norwalk and Christa Nessel of Wilton, plus nephews Charles Edward Nessel III of Bethel and Douglas Nessel of Bethel. Tom also had many friends whom he cherished greatly.
There will be a wake on Monday, December 30th at Bouton Funeral Home between 4:00 and 8:00 PM. Mass will be on Tuesday, December 31st at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Church in Georgetown, CT with burial following at St. John’s Cemetery in Norwalk, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sacred Hearth Parish, P.O. Box 388, Georgetown, CT 06829.