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Thomas Beirne
In Memory of
Thomas F.
Beirne
1927 - 2022
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Obituary for Thomas F. Beirne

Thomas F.  Beirne





Thomas Francis Xavier Beirne, 94, returned to his heavenly Father on February 27th, 2022. A Funeral Mass will be held on Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at 10:30 am at St. Patrick RCC, Smithtown, NY, with Monsignor E. Walden officiating. Burial will follow at Calverton National Cemetery, in Wading River. Visitation services will be held at Hawkins & Davis Funeral Home, 17 Manor Road, Smithtown, on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 from 2:30-4:30 and then again from 7:00-9:30 pm.



Thomas was born November 7, 1927 to Lillian and John Beirne and became the younger brother to John Joseph (Joe). Upon graduating Chaminade High School with honors, Thomas was accepted into the Naval Air Service. His first assignment was to Macon GA, where he took classes at both Mercer College and Georgia Tech. His initial flight training was in Memphis Naval Air Station, and he continued on to Corpus Christi NAS, TX, for advanced flight training. As World War II was ending, and the need for pilots diminished, he was discharged with the ability to attend any college of his choice. He returned to Long Island and attended St. Johns University earning a degree in English with a minor in education.



After a short stint teaching in Manhattan while pursuing his Master’s degree, Thomas took a personnel position with Fairchild Camera and Instruments. There he rubbed elbows with the many engineers who developed the integrated circuit, and several side companies that became Silicon Valley.

While he was at Fairchild his Uncle Marty developed appendicitis and required immediate surgery—fortunately Thomas was on hand to take him to the hospital, where he met nursing student, Catherine Hunt. They married 18 months later.

Thomas continued to work in the defense industry, next for ARMA and finally for Maxson Electronics where he accepted a temporary assignment to Macon, Georgia. After several more “temporary” extensions, he was named interim President, during what would be the drawdown of the Georgia operation. Thomas returned to Long Island to fulfill his ambition to be a business owner and educator. He accomplished both feats by acquiring Blake Business School in Smithtown, in 1969, which he ran for many years.

After retiring from the business world, Thomas approached Brother Jack Moylan, OSF, with an idea to help families in need on Long Island, and was introduced to Brother Jack’s Prison Ministry, which developed into Philemon, an organization dedicated to helping reintegrate former incarcerated men into society. Meeting their immediate needs while nourishing the spiritual voids in these men he thought critical to curbing recidivism. Thomas dedicated the last quarter of his life to this organization, although his entire life had been one of service. Totally devoted to God, his wife and family, Thomas firmly believed that whatever he did for the least of his brothers and sisters, he did for God.



Thomas is survived by his wife, Catherine (Hunt) Beirne and their two children Maura K. and (Gary) Schneider of Peekskill, NY, and Thomas M. and (Carolyn) Beirne of Saint James, NY. Six grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren (with another great-grandchildren route) also survive him.

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