My cousin Tom was a man of few men who gave their devoted time to his family, god and his educating young students to learn english and latin.  He touched many lives and through them his memory and life will live on.  His sense of humor was contagious and he always had a smile on his face through his difficult times in life.  Tom was a very patient man and he loved to hear about your stories and fond memories of our lives in new york and about the kids and their learning abilities to which he always gave guidance.  I for one will never forget him because he was in a lot of ways like my Dad..very kind and patient and a good listener and a true fighter and of course his family came first.  I was a little girl and him and fanny had me stay there and I remember being very comfortable and safe in their care.  His family is very proud of him and we are too..theres a lot to say about Tom but the memories and enough for a lifetime..He will truly be missed and is now with his family and laughing again with Aunt Rosie…forever in our  hearts..
Love, Madeline, Anthony and Alex

Phyllis,
Please accept our sincerest prayers and sympathies on the passing of your dear husband and father……We’d met you through ‘Aunt Rosie’ when they lived here on Greenfield Road.  I’ll miss seeing Tom’s smiling face at Mass on Sunday’s 9 – St John Neumann. I would be there to mourn him in person, but we are leaving shortly for New Jersey and the HS graduation of our 3rd grandchild, Julianna.

I’ll talk to you when we return… With peace and friendship.

Arlene & Dick Jarvis
Greenfield Road
Lancaster, PA

Tom was a great man he was like a  2nd grad pop he was there if you needed him . Tom would be there to do yard work with you i remember a time i was bored so i went and started to cut a tree and he came out and jump in to help. he will be miss for ever .
Love
The Rutter Family

tom was a great guy and friend i know tom since i was a young boy growing up in brooklyn we had great times with family. i will miss him dearly he was great to talk to about sports. will miss you tom
love always
cousin;paul and aunt carmela

Dear Phyllis & Family;                     
I send belated sympathy on the recent loss of Mr. Harkins.  I used to see Tom walking in the hallway of St. Anne School and we have a brief chat.  He was a very kind and friendly person.  When I hadn’t seen him recently, I had no idea he was ill.  Then this past Thursday a teacher told me about him  and how upset the children were.  You and he were always very  sociable.  I met you first, Phyllis   when I was cleaning the church and you happened to be making a prayer visit.  I pray that God’s Peace and Comfort will be yours in your loss of a very fine man.                           
God Bless,                            
Jean Garreth

tom was a wonderful nephew i loved him very much ,so happy he was a part of my life, I have a tom moment i want to share with everyone. me and my sister mary were going to see his and fannys new apartment ,so tom picked both of us up and drove us there, when he was driving us there me and my sister mary were in the back seat, and we were talking in italian, tom stop the car and said to both of us to get out, we both looked at him and ask him if he was crazy, and he said laughing we only speak english here laughing out loud. THIS  is a side of him he only shared with his family, wanted to share it with everyone else.
love you and rest in peace
aunt carmela.

DEAR TOM  I WILL NEVER EVER FORGOT YOU AND YOUR LOVE FOR EVERYONE  I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR LIVES AND GIVING US GREAT MEMORIES OF YOU.  YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS    I WONT FORGET THE DAYS WHEN YOU AND MY SONS PLAYED  UNO TOGETHER.   WE LOVE YOU AND WILL MISS YOU FOREVER. LOVE MARY JO AND VINNY  XOXOXO

Want to wish all the the family Monica, Fanny, Brian and children our deepest condolences.  Tom was a wonderful man and a great listener. He was always so interested in what everyone was working on their lives.  Didn’t matter what you chose to do he had an ear to listen to you.  I remember how proud he was of my daughter Christina when she went to grad school and finally graduated with a Master’s Degree in Counseling and pursued a career in counseling Middle School children.  He was so proud of her and always loved to talk and listen to her middle school stories.  They truly had so much in common.     He told Deanna to travel and see the world and thought it was wonderful that she was going to Europe, especially to Ireland.  He loved to listen to Mike talk about hockey, even though he wasn’t a true hockey fan he loved the fact that Mike played the sport and laughed at his stories.  I am going to miss him for his positive attitude just towards life.  He inspired me to live each day to the fullest and to always focus on the positive.  Miss you Tom very much, may you RIP always in heaven.