Obituary of Thomas Edward Carey, Jr.
Thomas E. Carey, Jr. passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on Friday, June 14, 2024. He was the loving husband of Peggy Duffy Carey, father of Katy (Andy) Newcomb, Colleen Carey, and Bridget (Shaun) Hawkinson, and grandfather to Dailey, Tommy, and Joey Newcomb; Kevin, Oliver, and Nate Shinners; and Rhone and Scarlett Hawkinson. Tom was born on June 21, 1944 in Ogden, Utah, to the late Lillian Tellison Carey and Thomas Edward Carey, Sr. He is preceded in death by his brothers James, Jack (Sue) and Michael (Sue) Fitzgerald, and in-laws Jack (Marianne) Duffy, Marian (Mark) Meers, Fran (Eugene) Fanning, and Kay (George) O’Leary. He is survived by his siblings Kathy, Edward (Amber), and Sheila, in-laws Sally and Joe Duffy, and countless nieces and nephews.
Tom served in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Cold War as a refrigeration and air conditioning repair specialist. He graduated from Northern Illinois University and John Marshall Law School. He practiced law in Will County and throughout the Chicagoland area for 41 years, starting at the Will County State’s Attorney Office and the City of Joliet, before joining Schenck, Duffy, & Quinn Law Firm. He served on the school board and parish council of St. Paul the Apostle, the Joliet Catholic Academy parent board, the Joliet Downtown Development Council, and City Center Partnership. He represented the Rialto Square Theater during the “Save the Rialto” era of the early 80s, and he was proud to represent the Joliet Police Pension Fund. Tom volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and SCORE, and he was a Senior Fellow of the Benson Athletic Club.
Tom was a man of Great Spirit, optimism, grit, and hope. He was an avid cyclist and rode with a group who he loved like brothers. He was an enthusiastic and loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. To know Tom was to love Tom. He made an impression on everyone he met and had a knack for making everyone around him smile and laugh with his corny humor, including “I resemble that remark!” He adored his family and was the biggest cheerleader for his grandchildren. Whether he was reading to them, telling stories from his youth, or designing elaborate holiday games, he delighted in their presence.
He will be remembered as the most loving, positive, encouraging force in our lives, from his days of coaching his daughters in CYO leagues to cheering on the sidelines of sporting events and recitals for his grandchildren. His spirit is strong, and his motto “there’s no substitute for daily preparation” will ring in our ears each morning. While we miss him terribly, we feel fortunate to have shared so much of our lives with him, and we know he continues to guide us from Heaven.
All friends and relatives are invited to celebrate the life of Thomas E. Carey, Jr. on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black (at Essington) Rd., Joliet. Funeral services will be Friday, June 21 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 130 S. Woodlawn Ave, Joliet, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Private inurnment will be held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery at a later date.
For more information please call 815-741-5500 or visit his Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com where you can share a favorite memory or leave an online condolence.
