Thomas Clinton Hoadley

Thomas Clinton Hoadley, a hospitality executive who rose from a dishwasher in the kitchens of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco to the Chief Operating Officer on the Island of Lana'i, Hawai'i, died on February 25 in Los Angeles after a short illness. He was 92.
His career spanned decades of the 20th century, with positions in Sheraton Hotels, Island Holidays, Hilton, P&O Cruises, Yosemite Park and Curry Company, and The Lana'i Company in locations ranging from the Copley Plaza in Boston to the Manele Bay Hotel on Lana'i. He welcomed politicians, celebrities, individuals and families with the same level of service.
Thomas Hoadley was born on February 23, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, and died on February 25, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. His parents were Abra Beatty Hoadley and Richard Thomas Hoadley. He attended school in Berkeley, California from Kindergarten through the University of California Berkeley, accompanied by many of the same friends throughout his education. Hoadley was the student body president in his senior year at El Cerrito High School in Berkeley. He was the first in his family to attend university and graduated with a degree in History in 1955.
He was a dishwasher in the Palace Hotel in high school, which ignited his interest in hospitality. In summers, he held a variety of jobs to pay for college. One summer, he worked as a shill at the Cal-Neva casino in Lake Tahoe, acting as an enthusiastic customer to entice others to the tables. In real life, he was more cautious and instructed his children that the best odds in the casino were found betting on the pass line at the craps table. Although not a gambler, he enjoyed a yearly trip to Las Vegas to visit hotels and restaurants at the leading edge of hospitality.
One of the early highlights of his career was working at the Sheraton Blackstone during the 1956 Democratic National Convention, where he met such political luminaries as President Truman, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Hubert Humphrey. It was a time of rapidly shifting alliances that ended with the selection of Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson in the Blackstone's Crystal Ballroom.
Hoadley also enjoyed watching sports and hosting athletes and teams in his hotels. At the Sheraton Cleveland, he became friends with Bob Feller, the pitcher known for his fastball which was faster than a motorcycle with a head start. He was an avid Dodgers fan and could boast that he had watched them play when they were based in Brooklyn and then in Los Angeles.
He treasured his family above all. He met Anne Ousley when she interviewed (and was hired) for a position as his secretary prior to the opening of the Sheraton Dallas. They were married in 1959 and remained devoted partners, parents, and friendly political rivals until her death in 2004. He is survived by two daughters, Allison Anderson (John) and Caroline Mankey (Erik Phillips); and three grandchildren, Hannah Anderson, Noah Anderson, and Sarah McDowell (David). He was a tireless supporter and cheerleader for their efforts and accomplishments.
He loved hearing about the details of Allison's architectural projects and Caroline's litigation matters, and he travelled near and far to show his support. From downtown Los Angeles to watch Caroline in trial, to Chicago to attend Allison's investiture as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, he was a proud and enthusiastic father.
Services will be held privately in Hawai'i.