Thomas Eugene O'Bryan

Thomas (Tom) Eugene O’Bryan, age 81, passed away peacefully in hospice in Sumterville, FL on February 24, 2026, after a very brief illness. Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Tom carried his Midwestern roots with him throughout his life. After more than 40 years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he and his beloved wife retired to The Villages, Florida.

Tom was a proud graduate of Chaminade High School in Dayton and the University of Dayton — remaining a lifelong and enthusiastic supporter of UD basketball (Go Flyers!). He went on to earn his PhD at Michigan State University. His dissertation, titled “Empirical Bayes results in the case of nonidentical components,” was a source of great pride to him — even if no one in his family ever quite figured out what it meant.

For four decades, Tom served as a professor of mathematics and statistics at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In the latter part of his career, he served as an Associate Dean. Beyond academia, Tom was passionate about golf and relished time on the course wherever he lived. He was known for his quick wit and humor.

More than anything, Tom was a caregiver — a role he embraced with quiet strength and unwavering commitment. His deep Catholic faith was central to his identity and guided the compassion and generosity he showed throughout his life.

Tom is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary (Trojanowicz) O’Bryan of The Villages, FL; son Tim (Jeff Rodriguez) O’Bryan of Bloomington, MN, daughter Molly O’Bryan of Minneapolis, MN, granddaughter Piper O’Bryan and her mother Angela Theis of Minneapolis, MN, sisters Ann Smith and Carol (Gregg) Gorsuch of Centerville, OH, sister-in-law Kathy (Saettel) O'Bryan of Hendersonville, NC, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, William O'Bryan, Jr. and Mary Ann (Ritchie) O'Bryan, brother Michael O’Bryan, and brother-in-law Terry Smith.

In keeping with Tom’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. A memorial celebration — complete with an open bar, as he would have preferred — will be planned for a future date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to organizations he faithfully supported: Catholic Relief Services, Doctors Without Borders, or Food for the Poor.

He will be missed dearly, but his legacy lives on in the many lives he touched with his intellect, humor, faith, and love.