Thomas Edward Mongan's Obituary
Thomas Edward Mongan was born March 26, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The son of Annette Ruthman Mongan & Thomas H. Mongan. His fondest childhood memories were spent visiting with his loving Grandmother Mary McCullough Ruthman and his beloved Grandfather Edward Ruthman. Thomas graduated from Sycamore High School. He later studied Art and Geology at The University of Cincinnati. There he received his Juris Doctor Degree in 1974.
His love for geology and the great outdoors led him out west as a young man where he backpacked the John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. An enthusiast, he studied rock formations, collected cactus plants for his greenhouse, and eventually fell in love with the Sonoran Desert. His talent in art was practiced through the love of airbrushing, where he sold custom airbrushed tee shirts as a teenager to classmates, then at local car shows, and eventually at desert swap meets.
Thomas worked in the banking business, starting with Charter Oak Savings & Loan, and then as CEO & President of Jefferson Savings Bank in Stubenville, Ohio. He worked as a teacher at Pima Community College in Tucson and opened a family pizza business called “Magic Bus Pizza”. In later years he drove for Uber, escorting passengers around the outskirts of the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains.
Thomas was a man of faith. His hobbies included restoring classic Volkswagons, hiking & backpacking, watching romantic Hollywood films, riding his Harley Davidson, and hand collecting a variety of wildflower seeds to plant in his cactus gardens.
He was the proud father of six children with whom he shared his naturalist lifestyle with on many memorable cross country camping and hiking trips (en route in the family station wagon and later, VW busses).
Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, survived by his sisters; Kathleen Mongan, Debra Fingerman & Judith Maher. His six children; Tanya Oleson, Colleen Kuhaulua, Maureen Mongan, Mary Jo Mongan, Thomas H. Mongan & Anne Graham, as well as his 12 Grandchildren and 3 Great Grandchildren.
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