Obituary of Thomas Francis Dwyer

January 5, 1929 – December 12, 2017 Thomas Francis Dwyer of Montgomery, formerly of Rockland County,N.Y., passed away peacefully at Orange Regional Medical Center, just shy of his 88th birthday. The son of the late Edward J. Dwyer and Bertha Kneutsen Dwyer, he was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from La Salle Military Academy and St. John’s University. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corp. with the 2nd Amphibious Reconnaissance Co. as an Intelligence Analyst, stationed at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. In 1952 he married Virginia A. Smith. In 1954 they moved to Brooklyn before settling down in Nanuet, N.Y., in 1959. Tom worked as an insurance claims adjuster for State Farm Insurance and Aetna Insurance before working for the County of Rockland. He was also proud of his service as a Trustee of the Nanuet Public Library from 1965 to 1989. During his early years as Library Trustee, Tom was part of the building committee to oversee the move and construction of the library from a second floor walk-up on Main Street to its present location. Our Dad was a loyal friend to all who knew him, especially to his childhood friend of more than 80 years, Andy Rainone. Dad was an excellent chess player, loved spending time in the Catskill and Adirondak Mountains, traveling to Florida, and watching football. His favorite pastime was fishing with his other longtime friend, Frank Harrigan. When at home, he was never without his band of impish cats. Thomas is survived by his wife, Virginia A. Dwyer of Oneonta; sons Brian Dwyer of Sloatsburg, Joseph Dwyer of West Virginia, Chris (Claire) Dwyer of Hadley, Mass., Thomas Dwyer of Maybrook, Matthew Dwyer of Nanuet; daughters Virginia (Philip) Neidermier of Walden, Mel Dwyer of West Virginia, Jeannine Dwyer of West Virginia, and niece, Elise Dwyer Handy of Florida. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his bother, Edward Dwyer, Jr., and son, Kevin J. Dwyer. The family would like to thank everyone at the Montgomery Nursing Home for their care, and the nurses at Orange Regional Medical Center. To his buddies, Paul and Ernie, we thank you for your friendship to Tom and keeping him “out of trouble”. Visitation will be held Saturday, December 17, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Gridley-Horan Funeral Home, 39 Orchard Street, Walden, N.Y. Internment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to the library of your choice, Will Spay Pets, P.O Box 127, Montgomery, New York, 12549, or the Walden Humane Society.