Thomas Matthew Kovar, 71, of Florence passed away peacefully on April 9, 2026, at Cooley Dickinson Hospital following a courageous multi-year battle with cancer and other underlying health conditions, surrounded by his wife, son, and siblings.

Tom was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and raised in Newton, Massachusetts, where he attended Newton High School before graduating from Wesleyan University in 1976. He earned his master’s degree in social work from Smith College School for Social Work in 1980, following in the footsteps of his mother, Barbara Pettee Kovar-Selling. Tom built a distinguished career as a psychotherapist and social worker, dedicating 15 years to the VA Medical Center in Leeds, where he worked with veterans with mental illness. Among his many gifts as a case worker, Tom had a unique ability to respect the self-determination and dignity of his clients. He worked for many years as a family clinician in and around Northampton and served as Site Director for Child and Family Services at the Center for Human Development in West Springfield.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Tom was legendary in his communities for his warmth, loyalty, and gift for maintaining deep connections across decades and circles—from the Wesleyan diaspora to the Northampton music scene, from Newton natives to fellow birders, writers, and Boston sports fans. He was a skilled guitarist and an accomplished songwriter who released several CDs of his own music. A longtime member of “The Retroverts,” Tom played with Wesleyan-connected bands and had Pioneer Valley musical partnerships too numerous to name.

An avid birder with an impressive life list, Tom was passionate about environmental sustainability. He was a devoted political progressive who dreamed of a society where no one was denied health care or other necessities. Like his late father, Edward Kovar, he enjoyed debate and discourse, and participated in community events that transcended politics. He frequently helped clinch wins in local trivia and spelling bee competitions. Tom’s good-natured insistence on proper spelling was part of a wider love of language, and he dedicated time to writing fiction in his retirement. Tom loved to explore western Massachusetts and outer Cape Cod, where he knew all the back roads and navigated without using GPS; he preferred to follow his own sense of direction.

Tom is survived by his beloved wife, Marcy Waliser, their son, Samuel Waliser Kovar; his stepdaughter Chantele Paquin-Olmstead of Westford, Massachusetts and stepson Ethan Olmstead, of Westport, Connecticut, and their families; siblings Richard Kovar and his wife, Justina Kelliher, of Philomath, Oregon; Peter Kovar and his wife, Paula Kowalczuk, of Takoma Park, Maryland; and Jessica Lichtenstein and her husband, Mark Lichtenstein, of New York City; and by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

                  A celebration of Tom's life will be held at a                   time and place to be announced. 

In his memory, donations may be made to The Nature Conservancy or the Northampton Survival Center.