Thomas R. Connelly Sr., 1925-2008
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Tom was born June 22, 1925, in Mineral Ridge, the only son of Edward and Florence Kimberly Connelly.
When he was 2 years old, his father abandoned the family, and Tom and his mother lived on a farm in North Jackson with his mother’s sister and her husband, Lillian and Virgil Plummer, and their six children, the late Frances Shoenberger, Florence St. John, Emma Orleans and Alice Hartman, and William Plummer and Virgil Plummer of Colorado and Kentucky respectively, both of whom survive.
After his mother died when he was about 11, he was raised by his maternal aunt and uncle, the late Ruth and Robert Horton of Brookside Drive in Champion, along with their two children.
He graduated from Leavittsburg High School in 1943.
One of his biggest disappointments in life was that, due to health reasons, he was unable to serve his country in World War II. Instead, he entered the work force and excelled at a variety of jobs, which included truck driver, mechanic, welder, service station/scrapyard owner and delivery man.
He was a lifelong member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Whitey retired from Soda Construction in 1990, not because he was required, but because he wanted to make his job available to someone younger and more in need of work.
In his retirement, he and his wife made deliveries for their daughter, Ruth, owner of Connelly’s Flowers in Niles.
He had an inquisitive mind and an intense interest in all things mechanical, even holding a U.S. patent on a party-tent stake.
In the summer of 1948, he met his future wife, Phyllis Phillippa H. Cicero of Niles, and they were married Oct. 21, 1950, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. He was raised as a Christian in several denominations but converted to Catholicism for his wife and her family, the Maiorcas and Ciceros, who adopted him as their own. He was one of the first converts under the instruction of the late Father Nick Arioli, C.PP.S., and together they were very proud of this fact.
Tom and Phyllis were married 57 years and their life’s work was their family of six children, all of whom survive, Thomas R. and Karen Williams Connelly Jr. and their children, Tom and Megan of Niles; Christopher J. and Karen Leard Connelly and their children, Alyssa and Jason, of Bazetta; James J. of Akron and Niles; Sharon and John Conklin and their children, Helen and Phillip, of Wilmette, Ill.; Angela and Joseph Prada and their children, Rebecca, Elizabeth and Joseph of North Olmsted; and Ruth A., his caregiver and advocate, at home.
He loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, gardening, his home, and a bawdy joke.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother; a half-brother, William of Bridgend, South Wales; his cousins with whom he was raised; his aunts and uncles and in-laws.
Besides his wife, children and grandchildren, he is survived by his brothers-in-law, all of Niles, Carmen ‘‘Tex’’ and Frances Cicero, Anthony Bonanno, and Theodore and Fran Gustovich; his uncle, Sam Maiorca of Las Vegas, Nev.; and many nieces and nephews, cousins and devoted friends.
Family and friends may call 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Joseph A. Rossi and Sons Funeral Home, 457 Robbins Ave., Niles, with an Irish/Italian wake following at the Connelly residence. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Rev. Larry Frient at 10 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 381 Robbins Ave., Niles, preceded by a 9:30 a.m. prayer service at the funeral home.
Cremation will follow with inurnment at a later date and at the convenience of the family.
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