HUDSON FALLS & QUEENSBURY – Thomas R. Yole, Sr., 83 formerly of 94 Oak Street in Hudson Falls and more recently of Angel Lane in Queensbury, passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his loving family, on Sunday, July 6, 2014.
Born on June 13, 1931 in Glens Falls, he was the son of the late William J. and Clara (Beecher) Yole. On June 30, 1951, Tom married Patricia White at St. Mary’s in Hudson Falls. She passed away on December 17, 1992. He married his second wife, Patricia Busher Taylor on May 7, 1994 at St. Mary’s in Hudson Falls and Adirondack Friends Meeting in South Glens Falls.
In 1948, Tom graduated from Hudson Falls High School and continued his education at SUNY Albany, graduating in 1952. He then received his Masters in Math and Science from Union College in Schenectady.
Following graduation from SUNY Albany, Tom started his teaching career in 1952 at Fort Ann School District. He then continued his love of mathematics education at Lake George School District, Hudson Falls School District and Glens Falls School District until 1972. Starting in 1972, Tom was the Hudson Falls Jr. High Principal, until his retirement in June of 1986. During his career, he was an instructor at the Education Department at the University of New Brunswick, Canada and at the University of Prince Edward Island, also in Canada.
Tom was a Mathematics consultant for American Cooperative Schools in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. He also taught an in service course in mathematics for elementary teachers at BOCES. He belonged to several education organizations. Tom was a member of the National Education Association, New York State Teachers Association, Tri-County Teachers Association, Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State, National Council of Teacher of Mathematics, Mohawk-Hudson Valley Area Mathematics Association, Glens Falls Teachers Association, where he was president and first chief negotiator, School Administrators Association of New York State and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
From 1965 to 1972, Tom was very involved in his community, having served as Town Councilman for the Town of Kingsbury, where he was secretary-treasurer of the Inter-municipal Water Survey Committee. One of his proudest involvements was as treasurer of the Hudson Falls-Kingsbury Swimming Pool Committee. This committee raised funds and solicited labor to complete an outdoor pool which was given, debt free, to the Town of Kingsbury. Tom was also on the Board of Directors for the Washington County Unit of the American Cancer Society and chairman of the first Swim – a-Thon. He once served as Chairman of the United Way Drive for the Village of Hudson Falls and the Hudson Falls Central School. Tom was also a trustee for the Hudson Falls Free Library.
Throughout Tom’s life, his love of family, his love of children and education, his love of community and service can be seen through his giving back as husband, father, grandfather, educator and as a pillar of the community.
Besides his parents and first wife, he was predeceased by his siblings, Richard Yole, James Yole, Jack Yole, Gerald Yole and Rosemarie Hafner.
Survivors include his wife of 20 years, Patricia Yole; his children, Susan Kearns and her husband, Gerald, Barbara Scherer and her husband, Hans, Diane Yole, TR Yole and his wife, Mary, Patti Barrett, Jeffrey “Spit” Yole, Lisa Webb, Scott Yole and Mary Beth Moreau and her significant other, William McCullen, Sr.; his step children, Susan Pate and her husband, Michael, Anni Stewart and Peter Taylor and his wife, Kathy; his grandchildren, Keith Scherer and his wife, Casey, Hans Scherer and his wife, Michele, Andrew and Lindsay Yole, Shannan Wierzbicki and her husband, Tim, Timmy Barrett, Jr. and his wife, Nikki , Jennifer Bardin and her significant other, Jay Riehl, Todd Barrett and his wife, Lisa, Connor and Colton Webb, Kaitlin Ingalls Faour and her husband, Rabie, Lauren and Ian Moreau and Ryan Patrick Johnson; his step grandchildren, Julie Wardell and her husband, Judd, Taylor Stewart and his wife, Lisa, Christina Taylor and her husband, Sasha Tochilosky, Alexander Taylor, Kelsey Taylor, Tracy Brayton and her husband, Jeff, Michael Stewart and Jed Stewart and his wife, Jean; 13 great grandchildren; four step great grandchildren; his brother Robert Yole and his wife, Helen; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends may call on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 at the Hudson Falls Middle School, 131 Notre Dame Street in Hudson Falls.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday at St. Mary’s/St. Paul’s Church on the park in Hudson Falls.
The Rite of Committal will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in the town of Fort Edward. Bearers will be his grandsons.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to High Peaks Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 79 Glenwood Ave., Second Floor, Queensbury, NY 12804 or West Glens Falls Emergency Squad, 86 Luzerne Road, Queensbury, NY 12804 or the Fort Edward Rescue Squad, Inc., P.O. Box 226, Fort Edward, NY 12828.
