Funeral Mass for Thomas Joseph O’Toole of Willoughby, will be 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Immaculate Conception Church, 37940 Euclid Ave., Willoughby.
Mr. O’Toole passed away Jan. 17, 2016, at his residence.
Born May 14, 1935, in Cleveland, he had been a lifelong resident of Lake County.
He received his early education at James A. Garfield Elementary School in Willoughby Hills and then graduated from Cathedral Latin High School. Tom earned his bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University in University Heights, where he majored in English and journalism, and was the senior editor of the university’s weekly newspaper. He was honorably discharged after serving two years in the U.S. Army in the Washington, D.C. area.
Tom married Joanne R. Cavoli of Lakewood and the couple went to Europe on a long working honeymoon, as he was writing travel features for a local daily newspaper. They were honored to have a private audience with Pope John Paul VI. He and his wife wrote by-lined articles that appeared in a wide cross-section of major newspapers and magazines throughout North America and across Canada. Their travels took them to many areas of the world.
Both he and his wife were active members of a number of state, regional and national journalism organizations, and they had been fortunate to win many awards from all of them, including the national Society of American Travel Writers. He and his wife were multiple award winners in the national Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition. Tom was also an active member of the Outdoor Writers of Ohio, Association of Great Lake Outdoor Writers and the Outdoor Writers Association of America, a life member of the Ohio News Photographers Association, and a retired member of the National Press Photographers Association and National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Locally, Tom continued his membership in the B.P.O. Elks, Fraternal Order of Police Associates, and was a former member of Rotary International, Catholic Service Bureau, Mensa, Willoughby Chamber of Commerce, and the Irish-American Club. He was also a third degree in the Knights of Columbus, an officer for the Lake County Mental Health Clinic and served on the executive board of the Northeast Ohio Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Tom and his wife were baseball fans and long term season ticket holders. He was affectionately known as “The Hat Man.”
Tom was the beloved husband of 50 years to Joanne R. (nee Cavoli) O’Toole; and brother-in-law of Marlene (Ramsey) Melugin, Mary Ellen Cavoli and Constance Renee (Gerard) Fleminks.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Martha O’Toole.
Family will receive friends from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the church prior to the Mass.
The family requests no flowers please. In lieu of flowers, donations in Tom’s name are suggested to Hospice of the Western Reserve, 17876 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, OH 44110, or to your favorite charity.
Arrangements are entrusted to McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Homes in Willoughby and Mentor.
To leave condolences for the family or light a memorial candle, visit www.MCVfuneralhomes.com.

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