Thomas P. Farrell

Thomas Patrick Farrell passed away suddenly and peacefully at his home on March 13, 2026 at the age of 73.

He was born in Albany, NY on September 27, 1952 to parents Shirley Mae Huhn Farrell and John (Jack) Arthur Farrell II.

In his early childhood, Tommy lived in Rensselaer, NY with his parents and two sisters. They moved to the Town of Colonie in 1960 as the family grew with two more sisters. They grew up in the Lisha Kill area, and that's when he met and befriended his future wife, Lisa (Nava) Sutter, at age 11.

He was a graduate of Colonie Central High School in 1970, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy the following Fall. He served aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln SSBN-602 nuclear ballistic submarine as a Torpedoman's Mate Third Class, and was honorably discharged as a Petty Officer TM3(SS) in 1974.

After the navy, Tommy was employed as a Machinist at the Watervliet Arsenal, where he worked for 21 years until he retired in 1996 after 25 years working for the Federal Government. He then went to work helping his good friend, Dave Lupe with landscaping jobs, as well as helping Lisa with her house cleaning business.

Tommy enjoyed many years of family life in the Village of Colonie with a family of his own, where he helped develop his son's love for baseball, and even coached his daughter's softball team in 1986. The team made it all the way to New York State championship tournament play.

Tommy also played some softball in an adult league during his late 20s and early 30s. He was also an avid outdoorsman and dog lover who loved to spend time hiking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, camping, jogging, cycling, and roller blading. As well as spending time at the cabin on Flemings Pond in the Adirondacks with his long time good friend, Dave.

He was always known to be in great physical shape, and often had a solid exercise routine. He enjoyed lifting weights, and going on hiking & camping trips with both of his children, as well as his frequent visits to the local bike path, and going for walks at Cook Park with his many dogs, many of which he rescued from the local animal shelter.

Like his mother, Tommy had a remarkable artistic ability, often painting scenic landscapes, writing poetry, constructing crafts, and playing the fiddle.

Another passion of his was reading. He was fascinated with books about history, Native American culture, the American frontier, wilderness, and fictional novels. He was a huge fan of Stephen King, Tony Hillerman, and C.J. Box.

Music was another big part of Tommy's life. He had an extensive collection of vinyl records and CDs, and had a tremendous amount of knowledge in the classic rock and folk music genres.

He was predeceased by his mother, Shirley Mae Huhn Farrell, and father John (Jack) Arthur Farrell II.

Tommy is survived by his daughter, Shannon O'Rourke (Jason); his son, Justin Farrell (Keri); his four sisters, Rhonda Batchelder, Cindy Cramer (Ray), Kimberly Hoffman (Brian), and Joanne Patterson (John); his life long friend and ex-wife, Lisa Sutter (Tim); and his long time best friend Dave Lupe. Tommy's family would also like to include long time friends Liz Gailey Wilson and Sue Amsler.

Calling hours will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at New Comer Cremations & Funerals, 343 New Karner Road, Colonie.

 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mohawk Humane Society.