Obituary of Thomas C. Power

Thomas C. Power “Beloved husband, father, and grandfather” Olean, NY Thomas C. Power, of Olean passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026 at his home, surrounded by his family. Thomas was born on December 9, 1943 at St. Clare’s Hospital in New York, NY. His twin brother, Joseph Anthony, died shortly after birth. He was the son of the late Dr. William T. and Dr. Helen C. (Redmond) Power. He grew up in Baldwin, NY, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, and in Angelica, NY. He moved to the Olean area in the late 1960s. He was a member of the inaugural class at Archbishop Walsh High School in 1961. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from St. Bonaventure University in 1965 and a Master’s Degree from Alfred University. On November 25, 1972, he married Mary Anne Wright at St. Patrick’s Church in Salamanca who survives. Their sons, Thomas C. (Kimberly Dunning) Power and Patrick J. Power, both reside in Olean. Thomas and Kimberly reside with their son Benjamin and daughter Eloise. Thomas worked in the Environmental Health Division of the Cattaraugus County Health Department as a Senior Sanitarian. He was a founding member of the Cattaraugus County Credit Union and served in various offices in the Supervisory Unit and on both the Mosquito Control Board and the Fleet Committee. He retired in 2000 after 35 years. After retirement he taught a semester of Earth Science at Archbishop Walsh. He also served as President of the Archbishop Walsh School Board and provided interim coverage in the Principal and Business Manager roles. In the community, he belonged to St. John the Evangelist Church for 58 years, volunteering at the Festa Italiana for many years, and helped with counting the collections. He was a long-time member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a board member at St. Vincent de Paul, and a past trustee of the Olean Public Library. He also volunteered for many years with the Olean Soccer Club. Thomas also had interests including archeology, photography, music, housing repairs, technology, and the wilderness of Alaska. Besides his wife, children, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, are his sisters-in-law, Margaret Weinholtz, Sharon (Arthur) Smith, and Linda Rychcik; many nieces and nephews and their children, including Bryan McElwain and daughter Amelia, Kimberly Wright and son Aaron, Karen Wright, Daniel (Becky) Smith and daughter Rachel Kent, Shawn (Trisha) Rychcik and sons Ajay and Drew, Jennifer (Jack) Widger and daughter Anna, Robert (Jeanne) Fisher, and William (Dr. Rachna) Fisher and children Zara and Dylan. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Helen Mary McElwain and her husband James, and brothers-in-law Donald Weinholtz and William Wright. There will be no visitation hours. Friends are welcome to a requiem mass to be held at St. John the Evangelist on N. Union St. in Olean on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 10 AM. Burial will follow in St. Bonaventure Cemetery. Donations in memoriam can be made to St. John the Evangelist Church in Olean. Arrangements are with the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, Olean.