Thomas Joseph Fahey

Thomas J. Fahey 1926 – 2022 died of old age at home in Orlando, Florida on December 9. Born in Cleveland, Ohio to Leslie J. and Marguerite S. Fahey, Tom attended St. Ann’s Elementary School and graduated from St. Ignatius High School. After serving in the Merchant Marine from 1944-1947, he attended Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC, where he met and married his wife Lucy (Becky) Brown in 1949. They embarked on a life of international adventure as Tom spent much of his career working overseas.

Tom worked briefly in the international division of Firestone Tire before joining General Tire and Rubber Company. He stayed with General for the next 30 years. As a young International Sales Rep, he traveled to Africa and the Near East, adding many countries to his growing list of places visited, ultimately totaling 154 countries by the end of his traveling career.

In 1954, he and his growing family moved to Madrid, Spain where Tom spent the next 14 years managing a successful sales and manufacturing network and acting as tour guide for family vacations throughout Europe. In 1968, Tom was named VP of International Sales for General Tire and the Fahey family moved to Akron, Ohio after more than a decade in Spain. Tom became comfortable in his global role, including addressing the United Nations on “Global Companies in Third World Countries” in 1973.

General Tire then sent Tom to Mexico to manage a failing manufacturing enterprise. He cleaned up corruption, initiated training programs and established a name in the rubber industry as a troubleshooter. In 1982, Tom took a position with Gates Rubber as Managing Director of their plant in Valencia, Venezuela for two years. He returned to their headquarters in Denver, Colorado as Director of International Business Development. For the next eight years, Tom traveled throughout Asia and Eastern Europe establishing opportunities for Gates Rubber in untapped markets. His last assignment with Gates was to manage a Gates merger in Punjab, India where he created a 100% Indian executive team.

Finally deciding to retire in 1993, Tom turned to IESC (International Executive Service Corps) as a volunteer. He and Becky moved to Warsaw, Poland for a year as Resident Advisor to the US Government sponsored Defense Conversion Program. Retired, but not tired, Tom continued to accept assignments in Mongolia, Egypt, Romania, and even Russia.

When it was time to exit his adventurous career due to Becky’s failing health, Tom taught International Marketing, Advertising, and Economic Systems at Regis College in Denver. His wide interests and hobbies led him to volunteer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and to photograph high altitude alpine wildflowers, bicycle, and of course, travel! After Becky’s death he married a longtime business colleague from Mexico, Lucila Serrano. Together they moved to Orlando for some Florida sunshine and enjoyed a 14-year bilingual marriage.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife Becky and his son Dennis. He leaves behind his second wife Lucila (Serrano) Fahey, his children Colleen Fahey (Mickey Brazeal) of Chicago, IL, Christopher Fahey, MD (Barbara Hennings Fahey) of St. Charles, IL and Carole Fahey (Ken Pavlich) of Amelia Island, FL, eight beloved grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be planned at a later date. Tom’s family would love to hear your stories and memories about your time with him.