Thomas Allen Charles

Thomas Allen Charles passed away from complications from Parkinson’s Disease on Sunday, July 7, 2024, at the age of 88. 

Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Leroy Carl Charles and Marie Veronica Siglin. 

Tom spent his formative years in the Good Shepherd Orphanage in Allentown, Pennsylvania when his mother was no longer able to care for him, his sister Geraldine, and his brother George (Deceased/2021). Sister Evelyn was a caring guardian to Tom during his years at the Good Shepard Home. Tom stayed connected with Sister Evelyn and called her every Christmas Eve to thank her for her care and say she was a blessing from God. Tom and his siblings Sissy and George left the Good Shepherd home when his mother married Connie O’Conner who was a faithful stepfather to his new family and was lovingly called Pappy.

Tom enlisted in the Marines at 17 and began his military career at the Parris Island training station in South Carolina. He finished his military career as a Marine Sargent, teaching hand-to-hand combat to top Military School Marine Recruits at Camp Lajeune. Tom was a proud Marine and felt honored to have served his country. 

The biggest pride in Tom’s life was his family. Tom married the love of his life, Catherine, in 1957. Tom and Catherine met over the telephone, while she was an operator and he was a Marine trying to stay awake to guard a military base. He knew when he met Catherine in person for the first time, after months of talking with her over the phone lines, that she was the one. They were married within six months of meeting each other. Tom and Catherine were married for over 66 years and had four children (Sandy, Karen, Barry, and Tammy) together.

After serving his term in the Marines, Tom began a career in pool building through employment with Sylvan Pools in Doylestown, PA. Having an entrepreneurial spirit, Tom left Sylvan Pools and started his own company, Jorigo Pools, in the 1960s. Tom worked with, mentored, and trained the best in the pool industry during his ownership and leadership at Jorigo Pools. Tom was well known for his creative eye and ability to build innovative and stunning pools. He spent much of his time in the 1980s building pools for many of the Pocono’s romantic resorts. Tom made life-long friends in the pool industry and remained close to this work family. 

Tom, while still working hard at his pool business, decided to expand into another entrepreneurial pursuit in 1976, and he purchased his first restaurant, The Harrow Inn, in Revere, PA. Tom saved this historic landmark and quickly turned it into one of the most beloved fine dining restaurants in Upper Bucks County. After purchasing the Harrow Inn, Tom discovered two antique harrows and donated these artifacts to the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA. The restaurant was eventually purchased by television personality Chef Tell.

Tom had a passion for racehorses and became a first-time racehorse owner in 1971 by claiming a horse from Mrs. Henry D. Paxson of New Hope, PA. He went on to own over 50 racehorses that competed for decades across the United States. After selling The Harrow Inn, Tom purchased a 58-acre farm in Kintnersville, PA in 1979 and started his racehorse farm a year later with one broodmare. He then expanded to standing two well-pedigreed stallions and over 15 broodmares, and it was not long before he became a leading breeder of Thoroughbred Racehorses in the state. Tom sat on the Pennsylvania Breeders Association Board for many years and was a major contributor to Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing in Pennsylvania. One of Tom’s favorite memories was visiting Clairborne Farm and having his picture taken with Secretariat. He will be missed by his horse racing family. 

Tom was also a bird enthusiast, and during the 1960s and 1970s he participated in ornithologist fieldwork by banding birds to track their migration and assist in bird conservation. Tom was a longstanding member of the Bucks County Audubon Society. Tom knew the identity and birdsong of hundreds of birds, and friends and family fondly remember him playing birdsong albums on the outdoor speakers at his Buckingham, PA home to attract birds for banding. 

One of Tom’s many passions was American history, and he was an avid collector of Native American art. He also spent many years collecting beautiful arrowheads from across North America.

Tom was an incredible artist and over the past five years he spent his days drawing beautiful pictures of birds, animals, and nature. He especially loved requests from family and friends to draw their dogs and cats. Gifting his artwork to those he cared about was something he very much enjoyed.

Tom’s smile, laugh, and generous heart and spirit will be deeply missed. Tom leaves behind his beloved wife, Catherine Stellander Charles, his children, Sandra Stefanic (Steven), Karen Gelb (Robert), Barry Charles, Tammy Shaw (Brian), his eight grandchildren, Michael Charles, Hunter Charles, Sierra Charles, Chase Charles, Candice Stefanic, Kyle Stefanic, Rachel Gelb-Tooley, and Jared Gelb, his six great-grandchildren Mason, Avery, Bailee, Ryder, Hudson, and Remington, and his siblings, Geraldine Gilbert, Connie-Marie Shamus, Marvin O’Conner, and Cathy O’Conner. He was predeceased by his sister Francie O’Conner.

Relatives and friends are invited to Tom’s memorial service on Sunday, July 21, 2024, located at Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, 135 W. Pumping Station Road, Quakertown, PA 18951, for visitation from 10:00AM to11:30AM. A memorial service will begin at 11:30AM. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to Audubon Pennsylvania or the Wounded Warrior Project.