Leonard M. 'Tom' Dooley, 76, of Hutchinson, passed away on May 18, 2018, at Hospice House of Reno County. He was born February 18, 1942, in Belleville, Kansas, the son of Floyd Leonard and Mary Sherwood Dooley.

Tom lived a most colorful and humanitarian life, exemplified by compassion and humor, faith and spirituality, dedicated work, meaningful volunteerism, and loving devotion to family, friends and community. Tom would readily share that his truly deep and enduring zest for life sprung from all of these inspirations.

Tom graduated from Morrill High School, Morrill, Kansas, where he was a three-sport athlete and trumpeter for the band. Tom attended Highland Community College, Highland, Kansas, and then McPherson College, McPherson, Kansas, studying history while holding three part-time jobs (campus night custodian, lumber yard sack cement unloader, and landscaper). Tom also earned degrees in banking from the Colorado School of Commercial Banking at University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1978, and Colorado Institute of Organizational Management in 1988. From age ten, Tom helped work the hayfields leased, and the dairy herd owned, by his family. As a young man, he spent summers on custom cutting crews, following the wheat harvest throughout Kansas and the upper Midwest.

Tom began his professional career with Hutchinson National Bank, working there for 16 years and leaving as Vice President of Customer Service. Tom was then employed at the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, retiring as Executive Vice President at age 68.

Tom lived his personal philosophy of always giving back to the world well and thoroughly, beginning with Community Church of the Brethren, where his roots ran deep. Being active in the church was always a priority for Tom, and he served on the church board as Commission Chair, Board Chair, and Moderator. For many years, Tom taught the older adult Sunday class.

Some of the other endeavors in which Tom positively impacted his local and global community included: president of Big Brothers for Boys (having also had a little brother for 2 years), treasurer of United Way, president of Downtown Lions Club, Pack Master of Cub Scout Troop 313, president of the YMCA of Hutchinson and Reno County, president of Rotary Club, president of Kansas Chamber of Commerce Executives and president of Friends of the Zoo board. Tom's unofficial goodwill was also constant and manifest, from bringing flowers and joy to friends and acquaintances in care facilities, to always lending neighbors a helping hand and good company, to more acts of kindness"small and great"than could ever be tracked or counted.

Tom was recognized and decorated for his service in many ways. In 1972, he was named Outstanding Young Layman by the Hutchinson Jaycees. He was later named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Hutchinson Rotary Club in 1989. In 2002, Tom was presented with the Community Service Award by the Reno County Conservation District. An important highlight of Tom's life was spending two months of travel and ambassadorship in Southern India, Fall 1972, on a Rotary District #5690 Group Study Exchange Team, for which he was selected from several applicants, with a mission to spread peace, goodwill, and understanding among people and nations. While in India, Tom lived with 18 different families, spoke to 68 Rotary Clubs, and visited many temples, hospitals, businesses, and industries. Upon returning, Tom made 50 presentations sharing about his experience. Remaining actively involved with Rotary, in 1988 Tom was elected as team leader for a five-week tour of South Korea and in 1989 appointed district coordinator for the Group Study Exchange Program.

On June 23, 1963, Tom married Carolyn Kay Trapp in Wichita. Having met and fallen in love in college, Tom and Carolyn celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary in 2012 and looked forward to celebrating their 50th the following year, a date they missed by just 24 days as Carolyn's passing was May 31, 2013. Their planned celebration then became a celebration of Carolyn's life by her family, motivated and guided by Tom.

Tom is survived by: two sons, Mark and wife Hedy of Bellingham, Washington, and Scott and wife Lisa of Springfield, Ohio; grandchildren, Katrina, Owen, and Miles of Springfield, Joaquim of Bellingham; adopted children, Randy and Tina Beeghly of Hutchinson; adopted grandsons, Jeff and wife Amanda Beeghly of Buhler, and Derek Beeghly of Hutchinson; brother, Robert and wife Joyce Dooley of Ajo and Prescott, Arizona; nieces, Sherry Jones of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Shannon Arnett of Flagstaff, Arizona; nephew, Spencer Dooley of Phoenix, Arizona; great-niece, Zoe Arnett of Flagstaff, Arizona; friend, Connie Harris of Hutchinson; and many other relatives and friends.

Tom was preceded in death by his late wife, Carolyn, and his father and mother.

Tom Dooley's Celebration of Life will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, June 9, 2018, at Community Church of the Brethren, 1600 N. Severance, Hutchinson, with Marlo Oltman officiating. Friends may sign the memorial book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the service day at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson.

Memorials in Tom's name may be made to Hutchinson Public Library, Hutchinson Friends of the Zoo, or Hutchinson Community Church of the Brethren, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 North Main Street, Hutchinson, KS, 67501.