Thomas F. Feely

Thomas F. Feely, Jr. of Jackson PA died on October 29 at Geisinger CMC after a short illness.  He is survived by his wife, Nancy, his daughters Kristen Wilson and husband Philip, Jennifer Bellamy and her husband Cy, and his son Tommy and his wife Anna, grandchildren Ryan Logan, Tim Wilson and wife Millie, Brett Wilson, Shaylee Bellamy, Brody Feely and Caitlyn Feely, and great grandchildren Bram, Griffin, Hewitt, and Camden Wilson. He is survived by his sisters Kathy White and Joanne  Laspino. He was preceeded in death by his older brother Jim and his younger brother Joe. 

Tom was a military miniature enthusiast, and made his living creating,  painting and selling 54 mm figures and dioramas. He had a special respect for The Battle of the Alamo in Texas, and produced  several large-scale dioramas which exist in multiple locations in Texas. His masterwork is the creation of a 24 foot by 14 foot full scale depiction of the Alamo, which is enshrined in a place of honor in the prestigious Texas Hall of State in Dallas, Texas.

While he was known for building masterful  dioramas of historical events, his proudest accomplishment was starring in the leading role in the classic 1952 Christmas school production of Frosty the Snowman.  While the pressure might have been too much for some, it gave him the courage to face the Vietnamese in 1968, where he earned the Bronze Star. He aspired to become Santa in his later years. With a few more years he would have succeeded.