2024.
Tom was born December 10, 1939, in Kansas City, Kansas to Thomas Joseph and Mary (Quinlan) Audley. His paternal grandmother said that he was named for his great uncle, Thomas Audley, who had immigrated from Ireland, but later returned to Ireland to enable his parents to purchase farmland in Headford, County Galway.
Tom enjoyed a rich diversity in Catholic education beginning with 4 years of elementary school at St. Peter’s Catholic School in Kansas City, Kansas, where he was taught by Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. At age ten, his parents moved their family to Overland Park where he completed elementary school at the parish school of Queen of the Holy Rosary, taught by Ursuline Sisters of Paola.
He treasured his high school education at St. Joseph High School in Shawnee, Kansas, where he developed life-long friendships with classmates. Here he was taught by Benedictine Sisters of Atchison.
College studies took him to St Thomas Seminary in Denver staffed by Vincentian Fathers.
He transferred to Rockhurst College for his senior year to be introduced to the Jesuit priests. That wonderful Jesuit experience lasted for more than 51 years.
His major professor of Philosophy secured his enrollment at Marquette University as an Arthur J. Schmitt Fellow, when he graduated from Rockhurst in 1961. Tom earned his Master’s degree here. It was here that he met his beloved and beautiful wife, Karen Ellen Hackbarth. They were married in lower Gesu church on the Marquette campus. While studying at Marquette, he took the job as Registrar and Admission Director for the Marquette School of Medicine. After a couple of years, he was named Director of Admissions for the University.
In 1974, he returned to Rockhurst University as Director of Admission, a position he held until he transferred to the Advancement Office in 1990. He retired as Assistant to the President. While employed he earned a Paralegal Certificate.
In 1995, he and his oldest daughter, Elizabeth were named Director of Planned Giving on the same day. He at Rockhurst and Liz at Loyola University in Baltimore. Tom served in several positions in the advancement office before retiring in 2012 as Special Assistant to the President.
During his service at Rockhurst he was very active in professional organizations for Admission, Fundraising and Jesuit activities.
During retirement, Tom volunteered for 13 years with the AARP Tax-Aide programs to prepare income tax returns on a voluntary basis.
Tom and Karen liked to travel and visited throughout the USA, Europe, the Caribbean, and South America. They particularly enjoyed visiting cousins in Ireland. Both golfed, though Karen was always the better golfer. Tom especially enjoyed his card games with his grandchildren.
Tom is survived by his beloved bride, Karen; his beautiful and talented daughters: Elizabeth and her husband, Steven Ben Attias and their two children, Christopher and Kate, who live in South Carolina; Mary and her husband, Paul Dawdy and their two children, Thomas and Sarah, who live in North Carolina; and by his daughter, Ann and her husband, Joseph Erskine and their two daughters, Kristina and Erin. He is also survived by his sisters, Catherine Ann Audley and Sue Ellen Audley Chaffee (David); and his brother, John Francis Audley (Katie) and all of their children and grandchildren. He is survived by too many cousins to name, located all across the globe and by Friends across the country that he met through school, work and volunteer activities.
Finally, Tom requests your prayers for his eternal happiness as he awaits you joining him.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Overland Park, KS, with visitation from 9:30 - 10:30 am prior to the service. Burial to follow at Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa, Kansas. Tom requests instead of flowers, donations to The Audley Family Fund at Rockhurst University to aid in the Jesuit education he enjoyed and promoted throughout his career.
