Thomas “Tom” Jolly Townley of Oil City passed away peacefully on January 13, 2021, at UPMC Northwest Hospital.
Tom was born on October 28, 1938, in Oil City to James and Louise (Jolly) Townley.
He graduated from Oil City High School in 1956, serving in the United States Army for 3 years afterwards. Much of his career was at National Cash Register (NCR), where he was a Sales and Service Technician for over 30 years. Following his retirement, he held numerous part-time jobs, most recently at Hovis Auto Parts.
Tom was a devoted husband for 57 years to his wife, Barbara (Zacherl). The two enjoyed traveling and spent several winters together in Florida. He loved being by the water, whether by the ocean or the shores of Lake Erie. Tom was also an avid racing fan and spent many weekends visiting different racetracks. He was very proud of his only son, Thomas, who has been employed by the Toledo Mud Hens Baseball Club for over 20 years. The two attended sporting events together, specifically races, Mud Hens baseball games and Pittsburgh Steelers football games.
He had a special place in his heart for animals, giving many cats a good home over the years. Tom was a loving father, husband, brother, and friend who enjoyed laughing and having a good time with everyone he met. Like Frank Sinatra, Tom would say he lived life “My Way”, which comprised of a stubborn attitude, jovial disposition, and arriving to events on his own time frame.
Tom is survived by his wife, Barbara; his son, Thomas (Toledo, OH); and his sister, Cynthia (Townley) Moon (Titusville). He was preceded in death by his parents.
Public visitation will be at the Reinsel Funeral Home on Saturday, January 16, from 10:00am-11:30am. A Funeral mass will follow at St. Stephens Catholic Church at 12:00pm with Fr. Ian McElrath presiding. Please wear your masks.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Venango County Humane Society or Venango Region Catholic Schools.
The family would like to thank the doctors and health professionals who have been so good to Tom over the years; especially Dr. Mitrosky, Dr. Brooker and the staff at Oil City Dialysis Center.
Online condolences may be sent at www.reinselfuneralhome.com.
