T. Jablonski Obituary

T. Henry "Tod" Jablonski

March 29, 2026

Thaddeus "Tod" Henry Jablonski, Jr., a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully at home with his family on Sunday, March 29 in Charlottesville, VA, leaving behind a legacy of service, intellect, and compassion that touched many.

Tod married Linda Elaine Faw, in 1977. Together, they built a life grounded in love, faith, and shared purpose. In addition to his beloved wife Linda, he is survived by his children, Thaddeus Henry III (Thad; Columbia, TN), Michael (Norman, OK), and Bethany (Charlottesville, VA) and grandchildren Christian and Carter (Thad and Jessica); Maggie, Marianna, Asa, and Samuel (Micheal and Adrienne); and Isobell, Amelia, Madelyn, and Nathaniel (Bethany and Joshua Horton).

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Marian Jablonski, and his sister and brother-in-law, Alice and Thayer Smith. In addition to immediate family, he also leaves behind siblings Frank (Teddy), Fred (Sandra), Jon (Carol), Kathi (Richard), Laura (Dennis), and Ric (Pam) and many nieces and nephews.

Born to Thaddeus "Henry" Jablonski and Marian on June 8, 1939, in Haddon Heights, NJ, his family moved to Washington College, TN in 1952. Tod's early years were marked by academic excellence, leadership, and a love of music. Tod earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Maryville College, TN (1961), a Master of Arts in Mathematics from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University (1965), followed by a Master of Public Health in Biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1966). During his time at Maryville College, he was a founding member and namesake of "Porky and the Simple Seven," a popular pep band. Tod was a lifelong Carolina Tar Heel, particularly fond of basketball, which he passed on to his children.

He began his career as a mathematics instructor at Castle Heights Military Academy (1961-1965) and then joined the Math Department faculty at East Tennessee State University in 1966. Over the course of more than four decades at ETSU, Tod rose from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor of Mathematics. He taught thousands of students and served as course director for Probability and Statistics. Tod designed and implemented the general curriculum statistics course, which is still used today. Tod was honored as Professor Emeritus upon his retirement in 2004.

Tod had many hobbies and interests in community service. He was the founding member of Appalachian Genetics, a bull stud group that bred prize bulls and served as the editor of the Holstein News Association from 1970 to 1990. Tod was a passionate advocate for mental health and devoted decades to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). He served in numerous leadership roles for NAMI at the local, state, and national levels and was widely recognized for his work with multiple honors, including the NAMI Tennessee Jean Key Service Award, President's Awards, and the Ray of Hope Award. He was honored to be appointed Chairman of the State President's Council of NAMI National. He was an advocate for the Washington County Mental Health Court and contributed to statewide criminal justice initiatives promoting crisis intervention training for law-enforcement agencies in Tennessee.

Tod was a member of Salem Presbyterian Church for many years, served as an Elder, and was Clerk of Session from 2010-2017. An active member of the Holston Presbytery, Tod served on the Board of Directors for Holston Presbyterian Camp (2009-2017) and the General Mission Board of Holston Presbytery (2016-2017) in addition to numerous other civic and advisory roles for different organizations over the years.

The family has made plans for a private celebration of life. For those interested, a donation in Tod's name to the National Alliance on Mental Illness would further his passion to help families in need.