Thomas Joseph Crowley

Permanent Deacon of St Pius X Catholic Church and Archdiocese of San Antonio died peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 29, 2005. Tom was born March 12, 1925 in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Tom is preceded in death by his two older brothers John Crowley and Father Kenan Crowley OFM Cap as well as his parents James Crowley and Margaret Walsh Crowley.

Tom is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-three years, Suzy Crowley and their six children and grandchildren; James and Joelle Crowley of Grenoble, France; Alice and Ray Pearce and children Katie Pearce Rae, Elizabeth, James Pearce of San Antonio; Robert and Sue Crowley and children Joseph, Patrick, John, Michael, and Gabriel Crowley of Arlington Texas; Marlo and Bill Wilson and children Sarah, Ruth Ann, David Wilson of Houston Texas; David and Owens Crowley and children CC, Cassie and Chris Crowley; and Daniel and Beth Crowley and children Tommy and Kate Crowley all of San Antonio Texas. He is also survived by his four sisters, Helen Anstead, Ann Crowley, Margaret DeFede and Loretta Bauer and by two brothers, Gerald Crowley and Ray Crowley.

Tom graduated with honors from Ellwood City High School and was selected for the A.S.T.P. He spent three months at Washington and Jefferson University until he and his classmates were sent to Germany to fight with the 84th Division at the Battle of the Bulge. Tom was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star for his military service.

Tom graduated from Carnegie Tech University in 1949 with a degree in Civil Engineering and became a Registered Professional Engineer.

His work career was designing and selling steel forms for heavy construction projects in the United States, Canada and South America.

Tom was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of San Antonio on June 12, 1975 and served the community of St. Pius X Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of San Antonio for thirty years. While at St Pius as a deacon Tom touched many lives.

He visited with residents at the retirement communities and nursing homes in and around the San Antonio area. He assisted with funerals, wakes and baptisms and served as Spiritual Director of the St Vincent De Paul Society, taught Bible Study Classes, Instructed prospective Catholics in the Inquiry Series and later the RCIA program, headed the Parish Renew Program and worked with young couples preparing for marriage.

Tom was a cameraman and co- producer for the televised morning mass at CTSA Catholic Cable TV. He was always willing to serve his community, his Archdiocese and parish and gave endlessly in every capacity that he was asked to serve.

Tom was a proud member at the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The family would like to thank Dr. Joseph Dean McCracken and his staff as well as the Christus Santa Rosa Hospice for their support and kindness.