Thomas J. Warchol

Born: May 21, 1940
Died: March 7, 2016

Thomas John Warchol was born in Hartford, Connecticut, son of John J. and Helen Wieleba Warchol. He graduated from Bulkeley High School in Hartford.

Tom was a member of Davenport College, an Honors Major in Economics and on Dean’s List. Following graduation, Tom studied law at Yale and received his LL.B. diploma in 1965.

During his law school years, Tom became increasingly involved with personal and business matters about which he spoke little. After Yale Law School, Tom chose not to publicize his residence or his activities. It was rumored he had moved to the Seattle area but little else.

He died March 7, 2016, in Mount Vernon, Washington State. Other than a brief 4-line notice in the Hartford Courant on March 14, 2016, there was no other notice of his death at that time. Yale Alumni Records missed the notice of his passing and it was not discovered until 2020 at the time of the 55th anniversary of his law school graduation when your scribe was searching for classmates for the planned reunion.

Two acquaintances left condolences on a Guest Book sponsored by his family. Memories posted by Steve Sossin in 2017 and 2019 give a hint of Tom’s interests:

“It’s March 8, 2019, the anniversary of Tom’s passing,” wrote Mr. Sossin, “and I will always remember his even temperament and excellent conclusion and advice on the many conversations we’d had (Native American Affairs). I have not known many like Tom so every time one is lost – the world gets a little colder. Tom and family, you are always in our prayers. Steve Sossin, Friend”

An elementary school classmate named Sandra Werner Brown posted her accolade at the time of Tom’s death.

Tom was survived by his brothers, David formerly of West Hartford, Connecticut, and Phillip of Boise, Idaho, and their families. We were unable to reach his brothers. We have no information as to his employment, marital status or cause of death. Tom was a very private person and secretive about his occasional absences from school.

We invite any of his classmates from Yale College or Yale Law School who knew Tom to contribute to this obituary.

 
– R. G. Oliver
April 5, 2021