Thomas E. “Tom” Dooley, 78,Atchison, Kansas died Friday, May 4, 2012 at Atchison Medicalodge Nursing Center.

A con-celebrated Mass of Christian burial will be Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 10:30 A.M. at St. Louis Churchwith Rev. Benjamin Tremmel as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Louis Church Cemetery.  A parish and Knights of Columbus rosarywill be recited on Monday, May 7th at 6:30 P.M. in the chapel of Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home with visitation with the family to follow until 8:30 P.M.  Memorial contributionsare suggested to St. Louis Church or Leavenworth Partners Hospice and may be left in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.arensbergpruett.com. 

Tom was born February 4,1934 in Atchison, Kansas the son of William Francis and Martha Kramer Dooley.  He attended St. Louis Grade School and St. Benedict’s Grade School, graduating from Maur Hill PrepSchool. 

He and Wilma Sauer were united in marriage on January 14, 1953 at Sacred Heart Church, Atchison,Kansas.

Tom was a farmer and thatwas his first love, working with the land and soil.  Additionally he was employed with Midwest Solvents Companylater Midwest Grain Products Company for thirty-nine years in many capacitiesbut mostly as a scalemaster.

He was a member of St. Louis Church in the Good Intent Community, Council #723 of the Knights of Columbusand the William T. Jochems General Assembly of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus.  He served as “Mayor” ofthe Good Intent Community, was a forty year member of Atchison Elks Club and amember of the V.F.W. Post #1175 Auxiliary and was the first Grand Marshall ofthe annual Atchison St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1984.

Tom was raised on the familyfarm and lived his entire life in the same farmstead home in the Good Intent Community, he was a loving husband, father and grandfather, and friend and most noted for his hospitality to family, friends and acquaintances, a recognized “storyteller”, “entertaining singer” and well known for his humor, exceptional memory, and fondness of all things Irish. With the announcement of his death a friend stated, “upon his death, Tom Dooley truly has been everywhere”.

Tom is survived by his wife,Wilma Dooley of the couples home, two daughters, Theresa (Tim) Davenport,Atchison, KS, Maureen (Jim) Asher, Atchison, KS, three sons, Dan (Mary) Dooley,Atchison, KS, Mike (Michele) Dooley, Mooresville, NC, Tom (Laura) Dooley, Clay,AL, a brother, William “Bill” Dooley, Prairie Village, KS, fourteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, Patrick Dooley in 1987, a grandson, Corey Dooley in 1977, a sister, Ann Halpin and a brother, Joe Dooley.