Sloan, Thomas J. Passed away on March 14, 2014 at Oak Ridge Nursing Home in Hillside. He was born on Chicago's West Side on November 4, 1931. He was the second of 13 children born to Barney and Anne Sloan who had emigrated from Ireland and Scotland. Tom attended St. Mel's Grammar School and St. Mel's High School. He served in the U.S. Army in Okinawa during the Korean War. He volunteered for Korea but that was denied. He represented the U.S. Army in inter-military boxing and was assigned to Special Services for the duration of his Army service. He fought under the name of the "Chicago Clipper" and had over 50 inter-military event fights on Navy ships and on Air Bases and other Marine and Army installations. He compiled a record of over 50 wins and no losses. After the Army he attended Quincy College and Loyola University in Chicago. He also attended San Jose State on a boxing scholarship where he embraced his love of oil painting to which he devoted himself the rest of his life. He was a Chicago Fireman in the 1960's and worked at Squad No. 2 at Aberdeen and Washington which reportedly had over 4,000 runs a year. Tom opened a bar in 1960 on the West Side of Chicago at Kostner and Madison which he called "The Studio" because it featured actual artists whom he invited in to paint oil pictures on the walls and canvasses while patrons watched. He spent some years in California and Arizona where he became an accomplished pilot. He later returned to Chicago and worked as Assistant Manager of O'Hare Airport. He continued his love of oil painting. Among Tom's 12 brothers and sisters are Edward (Von), James (Rose), Andrew (Carole), Elizabeth, Maol, Mae (Joseph) Corcoran, Theresa (the late Larry) Stanner, Margaret, Ann Murray Sloan, the late John P., the late Kathleen (the late Bren) Heinz, and the late Philip. Tom is survived by over 100 nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Tom passed away in the same week as his two closest friends, Bob Prendergast (see Sun Times article of March 14, 2014) and Edward P. Bourke, a Chicago Policeman. A Memorial Service is being planned. In memory of Tom, please make donations to the Ignatius McDermott Center, 932 West Washington Blvd, Chicago, 60607. Funeral Arrangements by Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home 708-383-3191 or www.drechslerbrownwilliams.com.
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3 Entries
Nora Prendergast
March 29, 2014
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Sloan family. We have so many fond memories of Tom and our dad, Bob Prendergast as such good friends. Hopefully it will give us
all great comfort knowing that they found themselves in heaven at just about the same time.
Much love,
Peggy,Karen,Kevin,Bobby & Nora Prendergast
March 21, 2014
Alexis
March 21, 2014
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