Thomas Rauso

Thomas Rauso left this world on Wednesday, November 27, the day before Thanksgiving. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 18th, 1962. His passing creates a deep emptiness in the hearts of all that are left behind, especially for his wife and soulmate, Jill Peeples Rauso.

Thomas was the son of Marianna and Philip A. Rauso. He leaves behind his wife Jill, parents Marianna and Philip A. Rauso, brother Stephen, son Tyler, second son Christian, aunts, uncles, nieces, great nieces, a nephew, cousins, and cherished friends who held a special place in his heart. He is preceded in death by his son Zachary and brother Philip.

Thomas graduated from Patchogue Medford High School and from Farmingdale State College where he received an AS in Medical Laboratory Technology, was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and played baseball. He attended State University of New York at Stony Brook, graduating with a BS in Medical Technology. He began his career in laboratory medicine at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital and as a lead blood bank technical specialist at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center. He took his wealth of laboratory knowledge to the healthcare IT world, continuing his career at Sunquest Information Systems, McKesson Paragon, and the past seven years at Data Innovations LLC.

He lit up the room with his larger-than-life smile and zest for life, living each day to its fullest. He took care of his family members and others, not out of obligation, but from the profound goodness of his heart. His passion for cooking and carrying on family traditions involved numerous hours in the kitchen during holidays. He always found the perfect timing for a joke and his laugh was the best. Tom had a wonderful ability to see other perspectives and always looked ahead with a plan. He wanted nothing more than to foster positive outcomes for others.

Thomas loved the desert southwest which was home for many years. He was also able to call North Carolina home. He enjoyed sitting outside surrounded by nature, watching the variety of birds at the feeder, and looking for the backyard deer, who he affectionately called “the kids.” He was a baseball aficionado and could converse knowledgably about any topic. In his downtime, playing guitar gave him immense joy. The bright sounds that filled the home from his playing are dearly missed. He grew very fond of feline family members Wolverine and Sabertooth, the latter having a strong affinity for Thomas and often making an appearance in remote work meetings.

While our hearts are broken, our lives are richer for having been part of his. The countless special memories and his legacy will live in our hearts forever.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Sickle Cell Anemia Association https://ascaa.org/

All services will be private.