Thomas Braden Silcott

Thomas Braden Silcott, Jr. age 88, passed away peacefully on April 15, 2021 listening to the song "Our Love is Here to Stay" which he sang at family member weddings and to his wife, Janet on their last anniversary in 2015. He was born on December 17, 1932, in Rockville, Illinois to the late Thomas Braden Silcott Sr. and M. Virginia Norton Silcott. He is preceded in death by the love of his life, his bride of 62 years, Janet Ann Kreis Silcott. He is also preceded in death by many wonderful in-laws including Janet's parents, Howard and Margaret Kreis, Bill Kirkpatrick, Neil and Mary Jean Cashen, Janice Silcott, Ted Lewandowski and Linda Silcott. He deeply mourned the death too soon of his son-in-law, Rich Mayo and nephew, John Kirkpatrick. Tom is survived by children, Cynthia Mayo (Bernie Scanlon), Jim Silcott (Kathy Chen) , Suzanne (Randy) Ritter, Julie (Ray) Bogusz, Timothy Silcott, Linda (Brad) Taylor; grandchildren, Timothy Mayo, Lauren (Michael Doherty), Jason (Claire) Bogusz, Jennifer Mayo (Mark Skopin), Bethany (Brad) Acker, Thomas Braden (Christine) Silcott, Steven (Julia) Bogusz, Christopher Mayo, Natalie Ritter, Laura Taylor, Thomas Ritter, Shannon Taylor and Stephen Chang; great-grandchildren, Brady, Luke and Callum Doherty, Emmeline, June and Lincoln Bogusz, Caroline, Kate and James Acker, Charlie, Thomas and Olivia Silcott; brother, Edward Norton Silcott; sister, Libby Lewandowski; sister-in-law, Carol (Bill) Allen; many nieces and nephews.

Although born in Illinois, Tom grew up in his beloved Baltimore, Maryland, primarily in the Catonsville area. He graduated high school from St. Paul's School where he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball. He proudly enlisted in the Army where he served an 18-month tour of duty in Korea during the war there, achieving the rank of Sergeant. He graduated from the University of Baltimore and for a time worked for the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company. A career with Eastern Stainless Steel as a salesman moved him from 1963-1968 to Northport, New York where he and Janet and the children made many friends. In 1968 another promotion took him to Columbus, Ohio.

In 1969 with partner, Jim Trueman, he purchased Deibel's Restaurant in German Village (now Barcelona Restaurant). As general manager, he changed the image of Deibel's from a sleepy tavern to one of the hot spots of the city. His lunch time all you can eat buffet for $1.50 in the outdoor garden attracted a large crowd from downtown every day. His hiring of Esther Craw, the diminutive accordion player and master of crowd participation, along with a pair of old entertainers Max and Adolph, soon had lines waiting on the sidewalk to get in the door on the weekends, especially after Ohio State football games which used to always be played on Saturday afternoons.

He hired his wife, all his children, their girlfriends and boyfriends who stayed long after the relationships had ended, their eventual spouses, his neighbors who were between jobs, a good portion of kids and adults from the south side of Columbus, and Ohio State students and professors. Anyone who needed a job found a home at Deibel's.

In later years he owned Costello's Pub in Victorian Village and was Co-owner of Caterer's Three Catering company. He was the general manager of the Mid-Ohio Racetrack, founder of Westinghouse Home Security Systems, a tour guide for school trips with Prodigy Student Travel, and a substitute teacher for Bishop Hartley and Bishop Watterson High Schools where he also served in both schools as varsity and freshman golf coach.

He was a proud 50-year summer renter at Fenwick Island, Delaware where he gathered with family and friends every summer for crabs, sun and surf.

Tom and Janet were active members of Our Lady of Victory Parish until Janet's passing in 2015.

His family will receive friends on Thursday, April 22, 2021, from 4-7 p.m., at SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST, 1740 Zollinger Road. A Mass of Christian Burial, 10 a.m. Friday, April 23 at Our Lady of Peace Church, 20 E. Dominion Blvd. with the Rev. Msgr. John Cody Presider, assisted by Pastor Rev. Sean Dooley (Masks required at both venues). Burial to follow, St. Joseph Cemetery, Lockbourne.

In tribute to Tom go out and support a local restaurant with dine in or carry-out. They have been hit hard by the pandemic and need our support. Tell them Tom Silcott sent you! To sign Tom's online guest book or to share a special memory, please visit www.schoedinger.com .