Thomas W. Mantle, kind, generous man
Thomas W. Mantle, 76, known as Tom to most or Tommy to his siblings, passed away peacefully at home Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. He was born Nov. 12, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pa., to Thomas W. Mantle and Anna B. McNamara. He was born the oldest of five siblings, his sisters Eileen, Nancy and Claire; and youngest brother Stephen. He was the third Thomas W. Mantle in his family and first-generation English, with his father migrating to the United States in the 1920s.
Tom was known for his sense of humor, on-cue, witty remarks and nicknames he gave everyone near and dear to him. He attended grade school at Saint Frances De Sales in Southwest Pa., and as a young boy, he delivered newspapers for the Philadelphia Bulletin. He loved hanging out with his buddies, and when they came over to the house, they sat on the front steps and called out for El Gato, the neighbor’s cat to come out, which was how he got the nickname Tomcat as a child. Tom went on to attend West Catholic for Boys, then to Philadelphia Textiles and Science for college, currently known as Thomas Jefferson University, where he graduated in 1968 with a degree in business management.
After graduating from college, Tom got his first job in Boston, Mass. He then developed a successful career in the textile business, traveling across the country to see his customers. When he would come home to Philadelphia to visit his family, he would always request his mother’s meatloaf.
In 1975, Tom met his wife, Cheryl, at a tennis club in Boston. They married in 1976 and moved to Williamsburg, Va., shortly after, where they had their two sons: Jamie in 1981 and Matthew in 1984. In 1985, they moved back to Philadelphia to be closer to family. During those years, he immersed himself in sports and spent most of his free time playing baseball or soccer games in the yard with his children. Taking his boys to Phillies games, where he had season tickets along the third-base line, became a regular pastime.
In 1990, Tom and his family moved to Minnesota to be closer to his job at Industrial Fabrics Corporation (IFC) and spend more time with family. Tom went on to coach Matthew’s soccer team. They would travel the country and were also invited to play in tournaments in Denmark and England. He was an avid supporter of his son’s sports endeavors and loved to watch them develop in their careers. He had a great sense of adventure and found great joy in visiting different parts of the U.S. and various corners of the globe. His fondest memories were family vacations to Australia, Barbados, and Arizona, and a wedding in Mexico.
In 2013, Tom and his wife moved from Minneapolis to Lewes to pursue their dream of retiring near the ocean. He loved to visit the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park with Cheryl and became actively involved in St. Jude the Apostle Church. His sense of humor and kindness made him well-known in the community. He was very generous and loved to make conversations with strangers. A simple request for directions would frequently turn into warm banter. He will be dearly missed by family and many friends and colleagues who were so fortunate to be graced by his presence.
Thomas is survived by his wife of 46 years, Cheryl L. Mantle; his sons: Jamie and Matthew; his daughter-in-law, Lucia; his grandchildren: Emma Lucia and Benjamin; his sisters: Eileen and Claire; and his brother, Stephen.
A celebration of Thomas’ Life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 15, at Villages of Five Points Community Center, 17339 N. Village Main Blvd., Lewes.
Final care has been entrusted to Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
Visit Thomas’ Life Memorial webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
