Thomas J. Struminsky

Thomas Joseph Struminsky 63, of Cranston, passed away peacefully on December 29th, 2023 surrounded by his loving family. He is the son of Marion (Belconis) Struminsky and the late Dr. Jaroslav Struminsky.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 32 years, Judith (Thibaudeau) Struminsky, their daughter Jaime Struminsky and her husband Graham Huff, son Jared Struminsky, daughter Leah Struminsky, and his first and very beloved grandchild, Harvey Struminsky Huff; all of Cranston as well as his sister Kristine Struminsky of Montpelier, Vermont; and many wonderful nieces, nephews, sisters and brothers-in-law, mother-in-law, cousins, and friends.

Tom was born on September 20th, 1960 in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated high school from La Salle Academy in Providence in 1978 and from Providence College in 1982 with a BA in Political Science. While at PC, he immediately became a very active part of 91.3 WDOM-FM, the college radio station, where he had a natural affinity for broadcast production, engineering, remote sports broadcast engineering, and he was also an On-Air DJ.

He continued in radio broadcast production and engineering at WWON-AM/FM and at 93.3 WSNE-FM for many years. Simultaneously, he apprenticed and then became a projectionist at the Avon Cinema in Providence and at the Showcase Cinemas in Seekonk.  He was a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada.

He was a partner in Struminsky Professional Photography, along with his sister, Kristine.  Tom was a member of the Professional Photographers Association of New England, and the Professional Photographers of Rhode Island, where he volunteered tirelessly behind the scenes on both the Print & Trade Show committees. It was in his role as a wedding photographer that he caught the eye of his future wife. His quick wit and charm radiated from behind the camera, and of course—he was so handsome. He attended the New England Institute of Professional Photography for many years and was also a member of the Professional Photographers of America.

Tom had many jobs in his life. He truly seemed to enjoy his constant cycle of simultaneously holding three different jobs for decades. In addition to the aforementioned radio, photography, and projectionist roles, Tom also worked for AT&T in many roles, Allied Signal, Honeywell, and finally IBM. He retired from the career world earlier than he anticipated but found himself in the role he loved most of all: being there for his kids and being “Dad.” Tom always made his kids the absolute priority in his life and enjoyed every aspect of being a dad. 

He took great pride in following his Lithuanian and Ukrainian family history and lineage, and actively attended the visitations of relatives and cousins over the years, so that other generations would come to know their extended relatives personally. Tom loved his childhood through young adulthood vacations at the beloved Ukrainian Catskills resort Soyuzivka, which was created as a community gathering place by the Ukrainian National Association. Tom later became a dutiful member of the Woonsocket branch of this Association, Zaporozska Sicz, which was aimed at preserving and spreading Ukrainian culture in the United States. 

Scouting with his son was one of the greatest joys of his life. His time in Cub Scouts with Pack 6 Cranston, then in Boy Scouts with Troop 6 Cranston, were some of his most cherished times. There are few things that made him prouder than seeing boys earn the rank of Eagle Scout, including his son Jared. Tom held many leader roles in scouting and was honored with mentor pins by many Scouts attaining the rank of Eagle, which stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to supporting and helping every scout fulfill their potential. 

Tom had many hobbies and interests he loved to share with family and friends: flying kites, especially at Brenton Point; watching trains and airplanes zoom by, both in real life and online; biking─in his younger days going for 40 miles down his favorite paths, then later in life riding with his kids in tow; camping with his family & the scouts, with campfires roaring high; going for car rides, especially with his little buddy Fitch by his side; sitting on the porch at the beach looking up, watching planes, satellites, and shooting stars cross the night sky; Monty Python and Mel Brooks movies; The Three Stooges; and flipping through the music channels on the TV, volume as high as he could get away with. He loved connecting the genealogy dots of Ancestry.com, scouring through archives and social security records to piece together his puzzles, and fill in the branches of any tree he could. 

Tom was honored to become a grandfather for the first time in October 2023 to Jaime and Graham’s son Harvey. His silly songs and warm embrace never failed to calm Harvey. He will forever be Harvey’s guardian angel. Tom was as large as life and will leave a hole just as large. His legacy and spirit will live on through his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched. 

Visitation will be held on Friday from 3:00-5:00pm in The Butterfield Chapel500 Pontiac Avenue Cranston.  A Memorial Service will immediately follow at 5:00pm. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to his beloved Troop 6 Cranston.
Checks addressed to Troop Six Cranston c/o Emily Grammas, 67 Carrie Ann Drive Cranston RI 02921. Alternatively, Venmo payments addressed to Troop Six Cranston can be sent to Scout Master Mariah Keenan @mariah-keenan-1 (confirmation digits 5248).