Thomas Charlton, Jr., age 77, passed away at his home on Thursday, June 20, 2024. He was the widower of Lynne Louise (Hazell) Charlton. Born in Lima, OH, he was the son of the late Thomas and Della (Patten) Charlton, Sr.

He retired from Brown & Sharpe and Charlton Associates after a long career as a precision engineer. At Brown and Sharpe, Tom was the director of research, where he helped develop methods in precision measurement and international standards for measurement. He traveled the world representing the United States at metrology conferences. In the late 70's, Tom Charlton was a physics professor at Stockton State College. There he saw the need for southern New Jersey to have a regional high school science fair, so that exceptional students could go on to compete for scholarships at the national level. From a small start of entries, the Jersey Shore Science Fair became the biggest science fair in southern NJ with over 300 entries each year which is still going strong to this day.

Tom coached the Davisville Middle School Robotics Team for several years where he taught programming and strategy for competition. Davisville’s team always qualified for the state championship tournament. Additionally, he taught a summer school session at the middle school on how to program apps on cell phones and tablets.

An enthusiastic sailor, he enjoyed racing and working with the Twenty Hundred Club. Tom volunteered regularly at the RI Food Bank and served on North Kingstown’s Economic Development Advisory Board.

He will be remembered as a great colleague, a great engineer, a great sailor but most of all a great friend and always as the man in the green hat.

Thomas is survived by his daughters, Nyssa Rogers of Kirkland, WA, and Elizabeth Mangiameli (husband, Anthony Mangiameli) of North Kingstown, RI; his three grandchildren, Amber Rogers, Melissa Rogers, and Nicholas Mangiameli; his brother, Edgar Charlton; and nephews, Thomas E. and Frank Charlton.

His burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Tom’s memory can be made to the North Kingstown Food Pantry, 445 School Street, North Kingstown, RI 02852. https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E353800&id=2