Father of Michelle Welly ’76 and Lizann ’78 passed away…

Thomas Joseph Welly

September 24, 1933 – February 5, 2020

One of Northwest Ohio’s greatest storytellers wrote his last chapter on February 5, 2020 surrounded by his loving family and dog, Nurse Bailey.  Thomas Joseph Welly died as he lived with grace,  concern for others, and a deep faith.

Tom was born on September 24, 1933 in Fostoria, Ohio to Anthony and Margaret Welly.  He was the youngest of 4 children.  He was very proud of his Fostoria roots and was convinced that most people had some connection to Fostoria.  Tom’s father died when he was just 3 years old.  A few years later, he and his mother moved to Toledo and settled in Ottawa Hills.  Margaret married widower, Larry Pfaender.  Larry was a great stepfather to Tom, but he too died early, when Tom was just 14.  These two losses and the great strength and love of his mother helped shape Tom into the incredible man he was.  He was a feminist before it was fashionable.

Tom graduated from Ottawa Hills High School in 1951 and then matriculated at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1955 with a degree in Journalism. He loved Notre Dame, the Catholic experience, his professor dons, his crazy classmates, and especially the perfect campus job–an internship in the Sports Information Department. In his later years he may not have remembered what he did yesterday, but he could certainly tell you the score of pretty much any sporting event.  His sports acumen was legendary.  (He called the margin of the 2020 Super Bowl within a point.) Fall Saturdays were sacred in the Welly house, including this last autumn.

Tom met the love of his life in the summer of 1954 when he and Ann Schuchman went on a double date – but not with each other.  He vigorously pursued the beautiful Ann and sealed the deal by asking for her hand in the summer of 1955.  They were married on December 27, 1955 just 3 weeks after Ann turned 19.  Soon after they were married, Tom left his position in the advertising department at Owens Corning and enlisted in the Navy.  After completing Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant and he and Ann moved to Long Beach, California.  He was then transferred to Honolulu, Hawaii.  Ann returned home to give birth to their first child, Peter.  Soon after she and Peter joined Tom in Hawaii.  Peter was the first of 4 children in a 3.5-year period:  Michelle, Stephen, and Lizabeth Ann followed in very short order. Patrick arrived 7 years later.

Tom returned to work for Owens Corning upon completion of his commission and they settled in the Westmoreland neighborhood.  Tom left OC to start his own business, World Wide Dictation.  But his real love was the advertising business where he spent many years as an account executive for the top advertising agencies in Toledo   His creativity, excellent writing skills and great personality made him a natural and a success in the business. In fact, his wise counsel brought him consulting projects well into his 70’s earning the self proclaimed title of “World’s Oldest Account Executive”.  In addition to his creative problem solving, Tom was known for his honesty and integrity-earning him the nickname – Monsignor.

Tom was a dedicated husband and family man.  He encouraged  Ann’s return to school when she was in her late 30’s.  Showing his great sense of humor, he hosted her graduation party as “Ann’s college roommate” and made special “Ann Welly is really neat” buttons.  His devotion to Ann knew no bounds.  They recently celebrated their 64^th wedding anniversary with a home mass.

Tom’s Catholic faith was a part of his essential nature.  He never missed mass and regularly prayed the rosary. His prayer list was infamous, even if it frequently required a prayer to St. Anthony to find, tattered and worn, left in a pocket.  If he told you that you were in his thoughts and prayers, that was not an empty statement.  He would find a quiet spot each day and go through his prayer list one by one asking for God’s grace.  It was a great disappointment to him when his vision started to fail, and he could no longer read his list.  But that did not stop him from offering daily prayers.  Tom was active in the Catholic community and was a founding member of the parish that ultimately became Corpus Christi.  He served on the Catholic Chronicle board and served on the Bishop’s Marriage Tribunal.

Tom loved his children as well as his wife with uncommon passion. He deeply felt their joys and trials, in fact Tom and Ann devoted one of each of the five decades of the rosary to their five children.  (He loved his numbers.) He was a great father in law and was beloved Papa Tom to his grandchildren.  There was nothing he liked better than making them pancakes or cheering them on at sporting events.  He found very few things inconvenient when it came to family life, giving fully of himself to matters both trivial and profound.

And Tom was thrilled when he became a great grandfather.  A few days before his death, we held the phone up to his ear and one by one several of the grandchildren called and told him goodbye.  It was a heartbreaking but beautiful moment in the midst of many beautiful moments.

Toms generous spirit also gave him a unique talent for friendship.  He made people feel seen with his beautiful undistracted gaze.  There are many who count their friendship with him as something very special.  He never forgot important relationships, recalling friends with tears in his eyes and stories on his lips.

Tom fought cancer for two years and remained upbeat even when treatment failed. Ann and his 5 children  gathered by his bedside just a week ago to send him off with a “living funeral” to sing his praises while he could still hear them.  Tom was reluctant to leave his beloved Ann but found comfort knowing that his children would care for her.  There were no regrets, no unfinished business and  no unspoken “I Love Yous”   He lived a full and complete life and is now reunited with his beloved mother and his father.

Tom is survived by Ann; Peter and Sally Welly (San Diego, CA); Michelle and John Hills (Sylvania, OH) Stephen (Sylvania, OH) Lizann and Gerry Anderson (Ann Arbor, Mi) and Patrick Welly and Merrill Weyerhaeuser (Portland, OR).  He is also survived by his grandchildren; Leane Welly Cole (Ryan) and Bryan Welly (Rylee);  Kelsey Hills Finucan (Jack); Maggie Hills and Jack Hills;  Connor Welly and Quinn Welly; Evan Anderson, Shane Anderson, Alec Anderson; Sierra Welly and Jasper Welly.  Great grandchildren, Hudson and Caroline Cole; Harrison Welly and Johnny Finucan also survive.

The family would like to thank Tom’s incredible team: his son Steve,  general manager Michelle, Doctor Chang Xia, Marilyn and Dorothy and the entire Northwest Ohio hospice team of Sarah, Amber, Becky, Mary Ann and other devoted family members and friends.  Together, we fulfilled his desire to live until he died and to do so at home.

The family will receive visitors on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 Sylvania Ave., from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a scripture service at 7:30 p.m.  The funeral Mass will take place at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, February 27, 2020 at Corpus Christi Parish followed by burial in Resurrection Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Tom’s memory be made to Northwest Ohio Hospice, 3000 East River Road, Perrysburg, OH 43551; the Notre Dame Family Scholarship to support middle-income students, the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556; or Corpus Christi Parish, 2955 Dorr Street, Toledo, OH, 43607 or the charity of the donor’s choice.

As our dad often said: “Out that door to victory.” Go Irish!

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