Tom was a widower with three young children when he and Yvonne married in 1979. Since then, the family has grown to four children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. After the wedding, Yvonne immediately set aside her professional career and devoted her attention to raising the children and volunteering at the children’s schools, the parish and the community.
Tom continued his career as a partner at Deloitte. During this time, he worked on the Allocation Committee for United Community Services and on the Finance Committee for the Metropolitan Detroit YMCA, where he received the Volunteer of the Year award. Additionally, Tom was on the board of directors for Project Transition and Kensington Academy. At the University of Detroit Mercy, he served as president of the National Alumni Association, chairperson of the Business School Advisory Committee and was a recipient of the Tower Award. In addition, he served on various committees at his parish. Since retirement in 1996, Tom has voluntarily, at various times, managed the maintenance department at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, been business manager at his and a neighboring parish, treasurer of St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen and chaired a parish capital campaign. For more than 25 years, he has served on the board of directors of Rose Hill Center, a residential rehab facility for individuals with mental illness; during that time, he managed two major construction projects. He is on the facilities committee at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. For the past 19 years, he has been a member and has served as area chair and treasurer of the Order of Malta. He has made 10 pilgrimages to Lourdes during which he cared for maladies or ill people. Tom was instrumental in opening the Malta Dental and Medical Clinic at The Center for Works of Mercy in Detroit in partnership with Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan. He currently serves as the Clinic’s president.
During Yvonne’s career as a social worker, she worked for the State of Michigan as a public assistance worker, followed by a position as an intake specialist with Catholic Social Services of Wayne County. She left the field of social work and held administrative positions at Wayne State University School of Medicine and The American Friends of the Vatican Library. As a graduate of Marygrove College, her commitment continued as a recruiter and eventually associate director of the Admissions office. Since raising the children, her volunteer involvement has been broad. She supports the various organizations in which Tom has leadership roles, especially Rose Hill Center and the Order of Malta. Yvonne has been active in her parish, St. Mary in Royal Oak. She held leadership roles in the ministries of the Christian Service Commission, primarily the Funeral Lunch ministry, the Warming Center and the Giving Tree project. Those who work with her are always amazed by how she stays in the background and quietly handles all the details. Recently, her time has been primarily committed to helping individuals and families and keeping people connected. She is always preparing meals for people – whether they be ill, homebound, recently had a baby or suffered a death in the family. She drives people to doctor and clinic appointments, hospital visits and grocery shopping. She sits with family members while their loved ones are in surgery, prepares sandwiches for the homeless, visits family and friends in hospitals and other health facilities and coordinates meetings and meals with friends.
Tom and Yvonne are the embodiment of mission. They make this world a better place in which to live. With infectious smiles and a can-do spirit, they have devoted immeasurable hours in service to others and continue to seek opportunities to improve the lives of those in greatest need.