Thomas E. Gausman

Apr 11, 1928 — Oct 17, 2026

Thomas Edward Gausman, 98, was born in Ridgway, PA on April 11, 1928, the son of Edward Henry and Elizabeth (Proesl) Gausman. He was born into a family of 13 children which included a set of twins and a set of triplets. Of the 13, Jerry’s twin, Grace, died within 3 days and Marian died at 21. The rest lived to retirement years. Tom was the last of his immediate family and passed peacefully at home on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Tom is survived by one daughter; Judith Sherman of St Marys, a son Edward (Bridget Harrington) Gausman of Seabeck, WA, and by a son-in-law; Terry Watterson of Tennessee. He is also survived by grandchildren; Aaron (Jessica) Sherman of Batavia, NY, Brenda (Kevin) Hagen of Greenville, NC, Karen Sherman of Batavia, NY, Sarah (Damion) McIntosh of Fairport, NY, Kristina King (Shane Thompson) of Seattle, WA, and by great-grandchildren; Hope, MaryEllen, Arianna, Charlotte, Kingsley and Obadiah.

Tom graduated from St. Leo’s High School in 1946, enlisted in the Army and spent almost two years with the occupation forces in Tokyo, Japan. Following discharge, he enrolled at the University of Notre Dame and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1952. He was then employed by Sylvania in Emporium in the Advanced Development Laboratories where he evaluated experimental electron tubes and participated in the work on two experimental UHF television stations which provided television to the town of Emporium. After working at Sylvania in Emporium for 13 years, Tom transferred to the Consumer Electronics division in Batavia, NY where he participated in TV set design, B&W circuit design, Component Engineering, Engineering Services, and Cost Analysis and Reliability Lab.

Tom’s final career title was Manager of Design Assurances. This job required extensive travel which included the Far East with a revisit for Tom to the Tokyo area where he served in the military, plus Hong Kong and Taiwan. European locations were added when North American Philips purchased the consumer electronics division from Sylvania and consolidated it in Tennessee; the family moved to Morristown, TN in 1980. European sites were added with the North American Philips influence. The Juarez, Mexico site remains as a Sylvania manufacturing plant location.

Tom took early retirement in 1986 and he and his wife remodeled his grandfather’s retirement home on North Michael St. in St. Marys, PA. They lived there for 16+ years until the call of the country took them out to the family farm on Benzinger Road where they remodeled the farm house to become their home for the rest of their lives. Phyllis passed away in 2014 after 59 year of marriage.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was pre-deceased by his daughter Deborah and by the following siblings: Marian Gausman, Howard (Betty) Gausman, Edna (Sr. M. Judith, SSJ), Jeanne (Sr. Anita James, SSJ), Daniel (Carmelita) Gausman, Helen (William) Zawacki, twin sister in infancy, Grace and Jerry (Yula) Gausman, William Gausman, Robert (Rita) Gausman, and James Gausman, whose wife, Rae, still survives.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Thomas E. Gausman will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 12 PM at the St. Marys Church, 315 Church Street, St. Marys, PA 15857 with Fr. Thomas Curry, OSB, as celebrant.

Burial will follow in the St. Marys Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be at the Lynch-Green Funeral Home on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM.

Lynch-Green Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 151 N. Michael Street, St. Marys, PA 15857 is handling the arrangements and online condolences may be offered to the family at www.krisefamilyfuneralhomes.com

To send flowers with our preferred florist or plant a memorial tree, please visit our flower store.