Thomas Joseph Dooley Jr's Obituary
Thomas Joseph Dooley Jr. sadly passed away unexpectedly on June 10, 2026. Born June 18, 1941, in Baltimore, Maryland, Tom was the son of Thomas and Bertha Dooley. Tom was a devoted brother to his sister, Mary Aspland, and to his brother Peter Dooley, a Vietnam Veteran who predeceased him.
As an infant, Tom moved to Babylon on Long Island, where he grew up rooted in family, faith, and community—serving as an altar boy at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and shining on the basketball court at Babylon High School where his picture still hangs.
Tom proudly served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1962 to 1964 where he received a good conduct medal. Shortly after he met the love of his life, Patricia (“Pat”), thanks to his best friend Larry O’Connell—an introduction that turned into a lifetime partnership, beginning with a simple offer to help her take down a Christmas tree and ending in a turkey dinner that changed everything.
Tom and Pat shared 60 years of marriage, and Tom made it his nightly tradition to tell her he loved her. Together they proudly raised three children—Colleen, Kevin, and John—and Tom held deep affection for his daughter-in-law, Ana.
Tom built his career at Equitable Life Insurance in Operations and Sales, an experience that led to a family adventure living in Puerto Rico in 1979. He showed up for his family in the way that matters most—present, proud, and always in the stands—whether for his children or relatives at all sporting events (basketball, tennis, lacrosse, baseball).
A long-suffering Jets fan and a natural leader, Tom served as a Commodore of the Bayberry Yacht Club, where his boys took sailing lessons—fitting for a man who taught himself to sail by reading a book (so Tom!). He was known for his kind heart, his ability to make others feel seen, and for knowing (and caring about) all of his kids’ friends.
Tom’s days were marked by simple joys: Sunday morning trips to the bakery, constant trips to the local library (reading three to five books a week), and later, hours happily spent on his Kindle and watching nightly jeopardy beating all that watched with him. He passed on to his children a love of rock-and-roll music and a “dreamer” mentality. He would surely hope everyone would raise a glass in his memory of a beautiful life well lived.
A memorial military service will be held on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York on Long Island.
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