In Memory of My Loving Father, 'Dogbreath2U'
- Thread starter Dogbreath2U
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2012
- Messages
- 1,089
- Reaction Score
- 1,667
so sorry for your loss Kate and also ours. He was an inciteful knowledgeable poster that was always a pleasure to interact with on the BY. He always saw points in discussions that most people would not notice. Hard to believe that he was only 62. He will be remembered fondly by everyone here as he should.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 879
- Reaction Score
- 685
My condolences to you and yourfamily Kate. Your father seems like he was a great guy. It was nice of you to share this note on his passing to the Yarders. May his memory be eternal.Hello all,
I am in writing this in respect to my beloved father, Thomas M. McAuliffe, known here as Dogbreath2U, who passed away this past Friday night at the age of 62.
My father was born in Kansas City, Missouri and grew up in the nearby charming suburb of Overland Park, Kansas. He attended Rockhurst High School where he played for nearly every sports team, including football, track and baseball.
After receiving his PhD in Clinical Psychology from St Louis University and meeting my mother, Patricia FitzGerald, they traveled around the country together, chasing clinical internships and job prospects.
Eventually, they ended up back in Connecticut, where my mother had grown up and spent most of her life outside of her PhD. He started working at Newington Children Hospital before joining CREC in East Hartford as a Psychologist, where he helped children with developmental and emotional disabilities for over twenty years. Here, my dad's love affair with UConn's Men Basketball began. It didn't take long for me to catch the same bug he had.
In 2004, when I was in 5th grade, my teacher had us fill out NCAA basketball brackets.
I had made brackets for both the men and women, and under the influence of my father, had the men and women taking it all. And, they did. That year we went to the celebration parade together.
As I grew older, I understood more and more the sense of place the UConn basketball had created for my father. After a long day of work, I'd find my dad typing away on a message board or excitedly live-chatting during a game. He became involved with the community service aspect of the site too, helping to raise money in 2012 for Jim Calhoun retirement medical gift. He derived such joy from being a part of this vibrant basketball community. He was a brilliant man with a brilliant heart.
Tom is survived by my wonderful mother, Patricia FitzGerald, my loving brother, Sean McAuliffe, as well as his mother, Mildred McAuliffe.
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held Tuesday June 20 at 11am in the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday June 19 from 4-7pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the CT. Children’s Medical Center Foundation, 12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford, CT. 06106. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.
Should any of you wish to get in contact with me, you can email me at ktmc357(at)gmail.com.
Thank you all for creating a community my dad was always so fond of.
Best wishes,
Kate McAuliffe
- Joined
- May 1, 2017
- Messages
- 276
- Reaction Score
- 971
There's no set of words to adequately express how difficult this time must be for you, Kate, and how sorry we all are for your loss. The fact that you posted means a lot to the members of this community though, and I'm sure your father would approve of the sentiment. With deepest condolences...
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2015
- Messages
- 11,333
- Reaction Score
- 25,045
Kate---God bless you---your father has a very nice daughter--As I read the accomplishments of your parents--you shined brightly as a child of good parents--your writing above does you and your parents honor. Thank you for publishing this for us to read..Hello all,
I am in writing this in respect to my beloved father, Thomas M. McAuliffe, known here as Dogbreath2U, who passed away this past Friday night at the age of 62.
My father was born in Kansas City, Missouri and grew up in the nearby charming suburb of Overland Park, Kansas. He attended Rockhurst High School where he played for nearly every sports team, including football, track and baseball.
After receiving his PhD in Clinical Psychology from St Louis University and meeting my mother, Patricia FitzGerald, they traveled around the country together, chasing clinical internships and job prospects.
Eventually, they ended up back in Connecticut, where my mother had grown up and spent most of her life outside of her PhD. He started working at Newington Children Hospital before joining CREC in East Hartford as a Psychologist, where he helped children with developmental and emotional disabilities for over twenty years. Here, my dad's love affair with UConn's Men Basketball began. It didn't take long for me to catch the same bug he had.
In 2004, when I was in 5th grade, my teacher had us fill out NCAA basketball brackets.
I had made brackets for both the men and women, and under the influence of my father, had the men and women taking it all. And, they did. That year we went to the celebration parade together.
As I grew older, I understood more and more the sense of place the UConn basketball had created for my father. After a long day of work, I'd find my dad typing away on a message board or excitedly live-chatting during a game. He became involved with the community service aspect of the site too, helping to raise money in 2012 for Jim Calhoun retirement medical gift. He derived such joy from being a part of this vibrant basketball community. He was a brilliant man with a brilliant heart.
Tom is survived by my wonderful mother, Patricia FitzGerald, my loving brother, Sean McAuliffe, as well as his mother, Mildred McAuliffe.
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held Tuesday June 20 at 11am in the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday June 19 from 4-7pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the CT. Children’s Medical Center Foundation, 12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford, CT. 06106. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.
Should any of you wish to get in contact with me, you can email me at ktmc357(at)gmail.com.
Thank you all for creating a community my dad was always so fond of.
Best wishes,
Kate McAuliffe
