Thomas Gerard Ewing (AKA Thomas Ewing-Brown) passed away on March 13, 2021 at Good Samaritan Hospital, Baltimore MD, after a brief illness. He was 43 years old.
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thomas (or Tommy) traveled to Washington DC in 2002 as part of the Walsh Visa Program, a cultural exchange program that enabled young people from Northern Ireland and the six border counties of the Republic of Ireland to live and work in the United States.
It was here in DC that he met his future wife, Wendi-Starr Brown. They were married in 2005, and enjoyed nearly 16 years together in DC. Although he was not able to complete his naturalization before his passing, Tommy loved living in and traveling across the United States.
After leaving a position at HMS Host in Bethesda, Tommy became a popular bartender and server at various restaurants and bars on Capitol Hill, including Finn McCool’s/Molly Malone’s, Lola’s, The Ugly Mug, and The Hawk and Dove.
He proudly served President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at a luncheon for veterans in 2013, and gained some notoriety when a heated confrontation between him and some Trump supporters went viral in 2016. He had recently begun training for a career in cyber security, but still loved the hospitality industry.
He was also a devoted supporter of the Manchester United Football Club (MUFC), and taught any number of Americans about the finer points of English Premier League soccer.
In addition to his beloved wife Wendi, Tommy is survived by his father Gerard Ewing, stepmother Jaqueline Ewing and his sister Michelle Ewing, all of Belfast, NI, as well as many uncles, aunts, cousins, and a niece and nephew. He was preceded in death by his mother Geraldine Canavan Ewing and his brother, Gerard Patrick Ewing.
Tommy is also mourned by his mother-in-law, Mary S. Brown, of Falls Church, VA, his wife’s Rhode Island-based family, and many members of the Narragansett Indian Tribe (of which his wife is a member). His many friends will always remember his sense of humor, his passionate nature, and his love for his wife, Elton John, and MUFC.
A memorial was held in Rhode Island on July 3rd. Another, organized by his former manager at Finn McCools (now Lolas’) for DC friends, will be held on July 25th at the Irish Channel (500 H St. NW), from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to any organizations combatting gun violence and anti-immigrant sentiment.
