Thomas C. Tsika

Thomas C. Tsika, a longtime resident of Malden, Massachusetts passed away on December 20, 2025. He was the son of the late Kristo and Eva (Conda) Tsika and was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts.

Thomas honorably served in the United States Navy during World War II and continued his service in the United States Army during the Korean War. After his military service, Thomas earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics from Northeastern University and pursued graduate studies in Physics at Boston University. He married his beloved sweetheart, Rita (Zampitella), in 1963, and together they shared 57 wonderful years of marriage until Rita's passing in February 2020. Professionally, Thomas worked at Avco Research Laboratories in Everett, Massachusetts for 32 years where he was part of the research team that developed the entry shields for NASA's Apollo 16 mission. He was also a member of the team that created and tested the first implantable pacemaker. During his free time, Thomas enjoyed reading and was an avid supporter of the Patriots and Red Sox. He will be remembered by his loved ones for his extraordinary generosity and charitable spirit.

Thomas is survived by his daughter, Mary Ann Connors and her husband James of Lynnfield, and his grandchildren, James T. Connors, Shelby E. Connors, and Holly E. Connors, along with many other cherished family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rita (Zampitella) Tsika, and his siblings, Dorothy Soitos and Paul Tsika.

The funeral service for Thomas will be held at St. Mary of the Annunciation Church in Melrose, Massachusetts on Saturday, December 27th, at 10:00 AM, with interment to follow at Forest Dale Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts. Visiting hours are scheduled for Friday, December 26th, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Weir-MacCuish Golden Rule Funeral Home, located at 144 Salem Street, Malden, Massachusetts

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