Thomas J. Butch

COLONIE, NY – On Monday, May 4, 2020, Thomas J. Butch, 62, passed away at St. Peters Hospital after a long and courageous battle against liver disease.

Tom was born on August 2, 1957.  He was the son of Theresa (Mahoney) and James Butch.  He graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1975.  He worked for the Dept. of Transportation and the Gazette Newspapers.  Tom retired from the State of NY Department of Taxation and Finance. He was a proud member of the BPOE Elks Lodge in Scotia and Rotterdam.

Tom was predeceased by his parents and is now reunited with his kindred spirit Pete Mahoney.

He is survived by Bill Cleveland, his soulmate and best friend for life.  He is also survived by a treasured son, Thomas Butch II of Schenectady and a supportive and loving sister, Mary Butch of Cambridge, NY.  Tom is survived by numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.  His furry friends “Sparky” the dog and his three feline friends Eli, Jesse and Stryker also survive him.

Tom was the consummate conversationalist who made the gift of gab an art form.  He never met a person he could not engage in a long conversation.  His effervescent personality and love for animals gained him many new friends at the Central Park dog exercise area.

Tom’s passion and dedication for family was unparalleled.  There was no greater joy for him in life than surrounding himself with family no matter the occasion or time of year.  A small picnic at the lake or a large holiday celebration were equally important for maintaining strong family connections.  Tom loved the sharing of recent and past family history.  An important part of that history was Galway Lake where he enjoyed six plus decades of outdoor fun in the sun…sunburns and all.  It was a place he loved to share with old friends and family and to make new friends.

Tom’s love for sun and sand carried over to annual birthday trips to Old Orchard Beach and Ogunquit Maine.  Other summer enjoyments included partaking in numerous county fairs.

Tom will be remembered as possessing a true “Joie de Vie.”

Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic all services will be private with a celebration of Tom’s life to be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Tom’s name to the Hudson Mohawk Humane Society, 3 Oakwood Ave Menands, NY 12204 or to Rottie Empire Rescue.  Donations for the Rescue can be made through PayPal or sent to Tom Lange at 47 Union St. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.  To leave a message of condolence for the family visit www.CannonFuneral.com