Thomas Vicary

Thomas Cornish Vicary died Wednesday morning at St. Vincent Hospital in Erie. He passed peacefully following a short illness.   Thomas was born in Pittsburgh, PA, October 12^th, 1941, the youngest son of the late James Wilmarth and Margharita Curtze Vicary.

He attended the Erie Day School, Westtown Friends School, and graduated from the Sloan School of Industrial Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Tom held various engineering, sales, and management positions with Zurn Industries in both the Energy Division (Erie, 1964-1976) and the Cooling Tower/Chimney Division (Tampa, 1976-1988). For five years, between 1990-1995, he was president of that latter group’s successor company, Zurn Balcke-Durr.

In 1988 he and his wife Cheryl founded Vitco Corporation in Waterford, PA, the leading manufacturer of glass lined pipe for the world’s wastewater treatment plants, jointly operating it until their retirement in 2001.

Tom was involved in a wide variety of boards and organizations. He was the first and only chair of the Warner Theater Preservation Trust. He also served as chair of the Erie Community Fund Drives Committee. He served as past president of the Erie Philharmonic, The Erie County Historical Society, and The Erie Day School. He has also served on the board of Goodell Gardens and Chorus America. He was, jointly with his wife, awarded the Erie Community Foundation’s Edward C. Doll Community Service Award in 2003, the Erie County Historical Society’s 2004 History Maker’s Award, and honorary doctorates of Public Service from Edinboro University in 2005.

Some of his fondest memories include conducting the Erie Philharmonic’s performance of Finlandia, singing masterworks with the Philharmonic Chorus and Tampa Bay’s Master Chorale chorus, working in his garden, and creating fused glass artwork in his home studio.

In 1967, he married Cheryl Ann Gannoe, of Erie. Tom always said his greatest accomplishment was his four wonderful children. He also took great joy in spending time with his six grandchildren, hosting them for an annual summer camp.

In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his aunt and uncle, R. Adm. Charles August and Louise Vicary Curtze.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Cheryl Gannoe Vicary; Son Christopher Thomas Vicary of Cambridge MA, Son Douglas Wilmarth Vicary of Erie PA; Daughter Leslie Vicary Marsden (Jeffrey) of Stilwell KS; Son James Gordon Vicary (Victoria) of Lexington KY; Grandchildren Evan Vicary, Colby Marsden, Avery Marsden, Katie Vicary, Grace Vicary, and Thomas Vicary; Brother, Charles Curtze Vicary (Willow) of Carefree, AZ; Sister Carolyn Vicary Emerson of South Windsor, CT. He is also survived by a bewildering assortment of nieces, nephews, and pets.

Friends are invited to call on the family on Saturday Feb. 3^rd from 3-6pm and Sunday Feb. 4^th from 1-4pm at Burton Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc, 602 W. 10^th St, and to attend services on Monday Feb. 5^th at 11am at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul, 134 W. 7^th St.   Burial will follow at Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the Warner Theater Preservation Trust, 809 French Street, Erie, PA 16501, The Erie Philharmonic, The Erie Philharmonic Chorus, 23 W. 10^th St., Suite 3, Erie, PA 16501, The Erie Day School, 1372 W. 6^th St., Erie, PA 16505 or The Erie County Historical Society, 356 W 6^th St., Erie, PA 16507.   Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhome.com