He was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 3, 1940 to Cleo and Frank Boyle. Tom was a 1962 journalism and political science graduate of the University of Detroit. He served as editor-in-chief of the Varsity News student newspaper, and he played two years of college tennis. Professionally, he became a Midnight Police Reporter of The Detroit News.
Tom entered the Army and became a Specialist Five rank as a news writer. He joined Ford Motor Company in 1965 as a writer for the Ford World employee newspaper, later moving into public relations.
1965 was also special as the year he married Corinne Dailey. They enjoyed 57 years of wedded bliss, which included raising 4 children and loving 10 grandchildren. He loved being called Papa and actively participated in all of their lives.
In 1983, Tom and the family moved to Atlanta, which became their new home base. Tom and Corinne partnered as co-presidents of Atlanta’s St. Pius X High School Arts Society and the school’s parent Home and School Association. They also continued to ardently support all St. Pius X teams even when they did not have children and grandchildren attending the school. He retired from Ford in 1997 and then taught business communications at Georgia State University.
Post retirement, Tom put his faith into action in service to others. He volunteered as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused children and served as a Patient Advocate at Atlanta’s St. Joseph Hospital as well as a tutor and mentor at Cristo Rey Jesuit Atlanta High School of Atlanta. He taught the Sacrament of Baptism to St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church parents, volunteered at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home for terminally ill cancer patients, and volunteered at Knights of Columbus (Fourth Degree) and Serra National Council supporting vocations to religious lives.
Tom was known for his quick wit and one-liner jokes, sharing often with friends and complete strangers alike. Never fully a grown-up, Tom embraced the silly side of life and never missed a chance to make someone laugh.
Preceding Tom in death were parents Cleo and Frank Boyle and sister Pat Higle. Surviving Tom are brother Jack Boyle of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; sister Cathy McGrail of Algonac, Michigan; his wife, Corinne and their children – Michael (Priya), Kathleen Mathers (Jonathan), Chris (Brice), and Kelly Warfel (Scott), all residing in Atlanta.
Grandchildren are Rinna and Taj Boyle, children of Priya and Mike; Hadley, Keegan, and McKenna Mathers, daughters of Kathleen and Jonathan; Ryan, Lane, and Lisa Boyle, children of Brice and Chris; and Kaitlyn and Collins Warfel, daughters of Kelly and Scott.
Visitation will be on Sunday November 20 from 4-6 p.m. at the H.M. Patterson & Son--Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30328. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 21 at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 7171 Glenridge Dr., Sandy Springs, GA 30328.
A reception/lunch will follow the funeral at St. Jude. For anyone who would like to join, the burial will be 2:00 at Arlington Memorial Park at 201 Mount Vernon Highway NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30328.
In lieu of flowers, the Boyle family requests that memorial contributions be made to Tom’s Alma Mater -- University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy (https://www.uofdjesuit.org/giving), serving an under-resourced community; and also to St. Vincent de Paul Society through St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church (https://svdpgeorgia.org/donate/) 7171 Glenridge Dr. NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 (770 394-3896).
