Obituaries

MADISON - Thomas Patrick (Tom) Delaney, age 82, passed into Eternal Life peacefully surrounded by his wife of 61 years, Nan, and his loving family on Thursday, September 21, 2023. Born and raised in Beloit, WI, the son of James and Mary (McKenna) Delaney as the second of seven children, Tom met his wife Nan (Anne Dillon) after his family moved to Hartford, WI. He was smitten immediately, though he was in a high school seminary in Milwaukee at the time. We are grateful for God’s plan for Tom to be a husband and father.

Tom received a degree in English from St. Norbert College in 1962 and married Nan shortly thereafter and just prior to reporting for service in Georgia as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. Two sons were born on base before returning to his beloved Wisconsin and settling in Madison where three more sons were born.

Tom was an accomplished salesman and spent the balance of his career as a founding employee of AMTELCO (“TD”!) where his work family expanded from three to more than 150 in his 35 years with the company. He also forged and enjoyed profound friendships among these colleagues which lasted him the rest of his life.

An enthusiastic and talented athlete himself, Tom was as big a Badger fan as anyone. He loved all Wisconsin sports and took great joy in walking the bike path from his home down to Camp Randall Stadium on football Saturdays in the fall.

The core love of Tom Delaney, however, was his friendship with God, along with his dear wife, children and grandchildren. A devout Catholic, Tom lived a life of simple conviction that God did truly enter human history, becoming man in the Person of Jesus Christ, Who founded a Church through which He mediates the free gifts of His grace, mercy, love, and salvation to those who will receive Him.

By his example, words and activities, Tom sought to introduce his children, grandchildren, and thousands more to an intimate friendship with Christ. In facing any problem or difficulty, big or small, he consistently advised his sons to pray, putting them in friendship with Jesus as the guiding star of their lives. He has done the same for his grandchildren, and many more through decades of teaching young people in parish catechetical programs or by being instrumental in bringing Catholic “Relevant Radio” to the Madison area.

But it was Tom’s wife Nan who held his heart. They did everything together. Tom built his life around his sacramental laying down of his life for his bride, an example for the whole family. They enjoyed pilgrimage trips to Medjugorje, Rome and Assisi, Austria and twice to the Old Sod (Ireland) where Tom particularly enjoyed meeting some distant relatives and seeing where his ancestors came from in Ireland. They enjoyed so many friends, and Tom was one who would bring the best out of them.

Tom’s honors include Catholic Lay Person of the Year in 2002 from the Knights of Columbus, and with Nan a Caritas Dei Award from Relevant Radio in 2015 for “being an outstanding witness to the Gospel message of love for God and charity towards others.” Additionally, in 2012, Tom and Nan were awarded Pro-Ecclesia et Pontifice metals (“For the Church and the Pope”) by Pope Benedict XVI, at the request of Bishop Robert C. Morlino, for distinguished service to the Catholic Church.

Tom was preceded in death by his son, Andy, his granddaughter Camille, his parents, Jim and Mary, his brother Jim, and his sister Maureen as well as his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Florence Dillon, brothers-in-law James Dillon, Patrick Dillon and Patrick Rohrer, Patricia Murphy (fiancé of Tim Dillon) and nephews Chad Dillon and Henry Delaney-Pothoff.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Nan, sons Mike (Kris), Kelley (Kelly), Patrick (Anna) and Tim (Suzy), grandchildren Moira, Eileen, Bridget (Johann) Hurst, Teresa (Chris) St. George, Aidan, Molly Grace, Erin, Seamus, Owen, Emmett, Colleen (Logan) Moyer, Conal, Margaret, Aileen, Joseph, Mara, Andy, Noelle, and Lily and one great grandson William Hurst in addition to sisters Mary Faith Emmerich (Joe) and Margaret Delaney-Pothoff (Sims) and brothers Harry (Anita) and Tim (Maria), sisters-in-law Joan Rohrer and Judy Dillon and brothers-in-law Tom Dillon (Billie), Mike Dillon (Jan), and Tim Dillon, close nephew and godson James (Wendy) Delaney, and numerous additional nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Tom had a variety of health challenges throughout the years. During that winding path of ups and downs, Tom received outstanding care from so many in the Madison healthcare community providing him many additional years with his loving family. Of note, his final approach was alongside the outstanding doctors and nurses at Meriter Hospital in Madison. In his final days, they patiently cared for Tom while he succumbed to a natural, dignified, and holy passing. We are so grateful to them all for the loving and compassionate care they extended to our husband and father in his most vulnerable days.

Tom was loved. And he taught us to love.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. MARIA GORETTI CATHOLIC CHURCH, 5313 Flad Ave, Madison, WI 53711 on MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2023, at 11:00 AM, with Msgr. Kevin Holmes officiating. Visitation hours will be held Sunday, October 1, 2023, from 4 PM until 8 PM with a Rosary at 7:45 PM at RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 220 Enterprise Drive, Verona, WI 53593, and one hour before the funeral Mass from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Christ the King Chapel Renovation – Tom Delaney Memorial, or to the St. Ambrose Academy “Christ Our Light” campaign.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Verona Chapel

220 Enterprise Drive

608-845-6625