Obituary for Timothy Raymond Ockuly
Timothy Raymond Ockuly passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at his home in Mentor surrounded by his family.
He was born Jan. 21, 1956, to Agnes and Norm Ockuly.
"Tim O," as he was affectionately known lived the first 27 years of his life in Willowick before marrying the love of his life, Patty in 1983, and moved to Mentor where they shared a home for the last 39 years.
Tim was a proud graduate of the very first graduating class at Lake Catholic High School in Mentor in 1974 and John Carroll University in 1978. Tim was an accountant for Imperial Wall Coverings for over 20 years and then for Sirva Relocation for the last 16 years. Tim also volunteered for Hospice for the last 13 years where he was a very valuable volunteer because of how compassionate and caring he was with everyone. He was a huge sports fan, especially of the Cleveland sports teams. He really enjoyed rooting for the Indians and his favorite player of all time was Andre "Thunder" Thornton. Tim was quite the athlete himself in his younger years. From sunup to sundown you could always find him up at the Roosevelt field playing either baseball, football or basketball. To this day he remains the oldest player to score a basket in a Lake Catholic Alumni basketball game. He also is probably the only human who has climbed to the top of the A-frame building at the old Daffy Dan's in Willowick.
But by far his favorite pastime was spending time with his family. Tim loved board games and was unbeatable at Boggle. His drawings in the game Telestrations were legendary and when playing rock band he had the uncanny ability to make every song sound like it was being sung by Bob Dylan. You could always count on him to do something crazy while swimming in his daughter's pool to make everyone smile including shooting many unintentional moons at the rest of us while getting out of the pool. He also entertained everyone by making up songs about absolutely anything. Some of his greatest hits are Gobble Gobble Thanksgiving Day, Finally Arrived at 395, Bye Bye Water and The Coconut Nut Song - complete with dance moves.
His Christmas decorating skills were second to none as neighbors used to get out lawn chairs to sit and watch him launch strands of Christmas lights onto the pine tree in his front yard. And every time we went to Waldameer Amusement Park in Pennsylvania we would all wear our fluorescent green shirts with Tim's picture on it and the saying, "I'm With Tim O.” All day long you could hear people yelling "Tim O” on all of the various rides.
Tim was a loving and devoted husband to Patty, but was forever banned from grocery shopping alone when he brought home basil leaves instead of bay leaves. But he more than made up for it with everything else in their loving marriage. His daughters, Kathy and Noel both are of the opinion that Tim was the best father in the world and gave him the affectionate nickname of “Diddy” that lasted the last 30 years of his life. Tim constantly talked about how proud he was of his daughters and it is obvious that Tim’s legacy will live on through them. Tim has embraced his sons-in-law, Tony and Chuck as if they were his own sons. Tim definitely loved his precious grandchildren. Nothing was more important to him than spending time with all three of them. At every family gathering you could always find Tim on the floor with them playing games, coloring or just being as goofy as they were. When Covid hit, Tim was glad to work from home because every day usually included a 10 a.m. meeting with AJ, lunch with Lexi and a 2 p.m. meeting with Parker. It was very obvious that the love of his grandchildren was mutual because all three of them adored him and always looked forward to “Diddy Time.”
Early on in life he was given the nickname, “The Guy You Can Trust” and he lived up to that and then some. Tim truly was a role model to so many people and every friendship he formed was genuine.
Tim is survived by his wife, Patty; daughters, Kathy (Tony) Schoenbeck and Noel (Chuck) Bonakoski; grandchildren, AJ and Lexi Schoenbeck and Parker Bonakoski; siblings, Nancy (Dave) Oberrath, Dan (Odie) Ockuly, Debbie (Jerry) Rakar, Donna (Jim) Blase and Jim (Rachel) Ockuly; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Tim was preceded in death by his parents, Agnes and Norm Ockuly; brother, Pat Ockuly; sister-in-law, Joanne Ockuly; and niece, Emily Palmiero; as well as Patty’s parents, Paul and Mary Hassel.
Friends will be received from 11 a.m. 12 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at St. John Vianney Church, 7575 Bellflower Rd., Mentor. This will be followed by a funeral Mass at 12 noon at the church. Father Tom Johns (Tim's cousin) will officiate. Internment will take place at Chardon Municipal Cemetery.
Arrangements are entrusted to McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Homes in Willoughby and Mentor.
To leave condolences for the family or order flowers, visit www.MCVfuneralhomes.com.
He was born Jan. 21, 1956, to Agnes and Norm Ockuly.
"Tim O," as he was affectionately known lived the first 27 years of his life in Willowick before marrying the love of his life, Patty in 1983, and moved to Mentor where they shared a home for the last 39 years.
Tim was a proud graduate of the very first graduating class at Lake Catholic High School in Mentor in 1974 and John Carroll University in 1978. Tim was an accountant for Imperial Wall Coverings for over 20 years and then for Sirva Relocation for the last 16 years. Tim also volunteered for Hospice for the last 13 years where he was a very valuable volunteer because of how compassionate and caring he was with everyone. He was a huge sports fan, especially of the Cleveland sports teams. He really enjoyed rooting for the Indians and his favorite player of all time was Andre "Thunder" Thornton. Tim was quite the athlete himself in his younger years. From sunup to sundown you could always find him up at the Roosevelt field playing either baseball, football or basketball. To this day he remains the oldest player to score a basket in a Lake Catholic Alumni basketball game. He also is probably the only human who has climbed to the top of the A-frame building at the old Daffy Dan's in Willowick.
But by far his favorite pastime was spending time with his family. Tim loved board games and was unbeatable at Boggle. His drawings in the game Telestrations were legendary and when playing rock band he had the uncanny ability to make every song sound like it was being sung by Bob Dylan. You could always count on him to do something crazy while swimming in his daughter's pool to make everyone smile including shooting many unintentional moons at the rest of us while getting out of the pool. He also entertained everyone by making up songs about absolutely anything. Some of his greatest hits are Gobble Gobble Thanksgiving Day, Finally Arrived at 395, Bye Bye Water and The Coconut Nut Song - complete with dance moves.
His Christmas decorating skills were second to none as neighbors used to get out lawn chairs to sit and watch him launch strands of Christmas lights onto the pine tree in his front yard. And every time we went to Waldameer Amusement Park in Pennsylvania we would all wear our fluorescent green shirts with Tim's picture on it and the saying, "I'm With Tim O.” All day long you could hear people yelling "Tim O” on all of the various rides.
Tim was a loving and devoted husband to Patty, but was forever banned from grocery shopping alone when he brought home basil leaves instead of bay leaves. But he more than made up for it with everything else in their loving marriage. His daughters, Kathy and Noel both are of the opinion that Tim was the best father in the world and gave him the affectionate nickname of “Diddy” that lasted the last 30 years of his life. Tim constantly talked about how proud he was of his daughters and it is obvious that Tim’s legacy will live on through them. Tim has embraced his sons-in-law, Tony and Chuck as if they were his own sons. Tim definitely loved his precious grandchildren. Nothing was more important to him than spending time with all three of them. At every family gathering you could always find Tim on the floor with them playing games, coloring or just being as goofy as they were. When Covid hit, Tim was glad to work from home because every day usually included a 10 a.m. meeting with AJ, lunch with Lexi and a 2 p.m. meeting with Parker. It was very obvious that the love of his grandchildren was mutual because all three of them adored him and always looked forward to “Diddy Time.”
Early on in life he was given the nickname, “The Guy You Can Trust” and he lived up to that and then some. Tim truly was a role model to so many people and every friendship he formed was genuine.
Tim is survived by his wife, Patty; daughters, Kathy (Tony) Schoenbeck and Noel (Chuck) Bonakoski; grandchildren, AJ and Lexi Schoenbeck and Parker Bonakoski; siblings, Nancy (Dave) Oberrath, Dan (Odie) Ockuly, Debbie (Jerry) Rakar, Donna (Jim) Blase and Jim (Rachel) Ockuly; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Tim was preceded in death by his parents, Agnes and Norm Ockuly; brother, Pat Ockuly; sister-in-law, Joanne Ockuly; and niece, Emily Palmiero; as well as Patty’s parents, Paul and Mary Hassel.
Friends will be received from 11 a.m. 12 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at St. John Vianney Church, 7575 Bellflower Rd., Mentor. This will be followed by a funeral Mass at 12 noon at the church. Father Tom Johns (Tim's cousin) will officiate. Internment will take place at Chardon Municipal Cemetery.
Arrangements are entrusted to McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Homes in Willoughby and Mentor.
To leave condolences for the family or order flowers, visit www.MCVfuneralhomes.com.