Thomas J. Dowd

Thomas J. Dowd - Man of the cloth and squire of the court. The vessel of clay that for 84 years entombed the soul of Thomas J. Dowd, gave up his soul to eternity on May 21st. With pride, he would say he was born on Hungry Hill in Springfield, MA to the late Thomas and Hannah Dowd on April 13th, 1930. He leaves his loving daughter Kate M. Mahoney, husband Tim and his grandson Liam. He leaves his wife Nancy McKinnon Dowd as well as her children and grandchildren. He is predeceased by his brother Lawrence M. Dowd and leaves his sister in law Mary Cronin Dowd of West Springfield, MA. He also leaves his brother John F. Dowd and predeceased by his wife Betty Zguro Dowd. He also leaves his brother James Vincent Dowd and his wife Susan of Wilbraham, MA, and his youngest brother Timothy M. Dowd and his wife Angela of West Springfield MA, as well as many nephews and nieces. Tom graduated Cathedral High School in Springfield, class of 1948. He attended St. Michaels College in Colchester, VT for two years and graduated from the University of Montreal Canada with a degree in philosophy in 1952. He continued with four years of theology graduating from St. Marys Pontifical University in Baltimore MD in 1952. On June 26, 1956 Tom was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the diocese of Springfield, MA. Tom took pride in his time with the Springfield diocese. He loved his work and the people. His first assignment was at Sacred Heart in Holyoke where he was in charge of Sacred Heart High and Grammar Schools as well as athletic and social director of Holyoke Catholic High School. While there he founded the CYO for the cities of Holyoke and Chicopee. His other favorite assignment was the four years he spent in the Forest Park section of his native city at Holy Name Parish. After much thought and a variety of reasons, in the fall of 1966, Tom decided to become a priest of the world rather than a priest of the Springfield diocese. Tom then married a dear friend, Jean Carmel Daley whom he also leaves. He also leaves his four adopted daughters, Pamela Copeman of Nantasket Beach, MA, Maura Dannielle Mick of Parsippany, NJ, Tina Mathews of West Yarmouth, MA, and Bridget Mellow, of Concord, NH. Tom worked for a short time at the US Postal Service. In 1968 he contracted with Mutual of New York as a sales agent. This was the beginning of a lifetime career in the financial world. Tom moved with his family to Cape Cod on Memorial Day weekend in 1973. He became a self-producing agent for some outstanding companies in the fields of life insurance, annuities and term care. He also holds a securities license and a real estate license. Governor Michael Dukakis appointed Tom as justice of the peace with the right to solemnize marriage as has every successive governor every seven years since. He has celebrated over 2500 marriages as he would say from a gothic cathedral to the beach. At the request of friends, Tom has also conducted committal services at the time of death. One of the great joys of his life was to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world. He loved to travel, owning seven weeks of time share for over thirty years. Tom was also known as a great walker of the Bass River area for 17 years until June of 2009 when injury became a factor. He loved the Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots and Celtics in that order as well as college basketball, especially the final 64. Tom has been a member of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce for over 35 years. He is a member of the order of St. Peter, as well as the Sons of Erin and the Irish American Club of Cape Cod. He was also known as the unofficial mayor of Bass River Beach. In 1981, Tom was married to Jeanne Hannah Scannel Caruso until she passed on January 4th, 1995. He leaves his eight step children as well as their spouses and their children and grandchildren. Jeanne Adam of Sandwich, Maria Checci of Yarmouthport, Deborah Caruso of Brewster, Linda Callahan of Haverhill, Louis J. Caruso of West Yarmouth, Michael Caruso of South Yarmouth, Robert Caruso of Marstons Mills, and Richard Caruso of Conyers, Georgia. Tom is predeceased by his companion and friend after his wife passed, Mary Lorraine Crahan who died December of 2011. She and her children treated Tom like family. He leaves her children: Laurie McNamara of Centerville, Pam Kelly of Stoughton, Michelle Tanciocco of Walpole, Karen Johnson of Mashpee, Caroline Currie of Sandwich, Susan Marrow of Enfield, CT, Christopher of South Yarmouth, and David of West Yarmouth, as well as their spouses and children. He is also survived by his lifelong friend, Patrick Bresnehan of Dennis and Holyoke, MA. Tom also leaves many cousins and their families. He leaves so many friends, especially the people from Bass River Beach where he was almost every day. A special thank you to his care givers, Kathy Ellis and John French, and family, Holly McClelland and Nannette Hallet all friends and neighbors in South Yarmouth. May we all live in each others memory for eternity. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 29 from 5-7 PM at Morris, OConnor & Blute Funeral Home, 58 long Pond Drive, South Yarmouth, MA. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 10:30 AM at Saint Pius X Church, Station Avenue, South Yarmouth, MA. Interment will be held at Chandler Gray Cemetery. For more details, please visit www.MorrisOConnorBlute.com