Jun 3, 2022

Tom Wiley, owner of Judson Wiley & Sons, passed away Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at the age of 90. He vigorously fought a short battle with cancer after living life “his way” refusing to succumb to medical treatment.

Tom was the son of Judson Wiley and Hazel Good Wiley. He had one older brother, Judson A., who is deceased.

Tom graduated from East Washington High School in 1950 and Waynesburg College in 1958. He was proud to have played basketball for the EW Ghosts and carried on his friendships with local high school buddies throughout his life.

In 1953 he was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of Military Police, Corporal. He then returned to Washington to work in the family business, Judson Wiley & Sons, with his father and continued to work there for 65 years until his death.

He was married in 1953 to Judith Taylor and they had three daughters, Deborah (Mason Abbas), Terri (Kenneth Rhodes), and Melissa (Michael Nicolella). They later divorced and Tom spent the next 50 plus years with his loving fiancee, Barbara Busbey Miller.

Tom Wiley had a “presence” about him. He was a person everyone noticed. A good looking man, friendly, fun loving, caring and very active. He was a force.

You always knew he was the boss of everything, but not in a bad way. He would contemplate things and then lead the way! If ever someone was in need, he would always try his best to help them.

Tom’s life was filled to the brim with community service, work, children and great times. He was active in the Washington Jaycees, serving as president and Man Of The Year. He served on the YMCA Board of Directors, was actively involved in the Washington Flyers Club, Jaguar Club of Pittsburgh, and the Washington Elks Club.

He also taught Sunday school at the Church of the Covenant.

He loved boating and the beach. He introduced his daughters to those lifestyles, which they all embraced, and together they spent many years at Cape May, Fla., and the Monongahela River. Tom and Barbara have spent 30 years as part-time residents of Naples, Fla., and together would watch the sunsets on their lanai each evening.

Tom Wiley was a car aficionado. He loved and collected automobiles. Jaguars were his favorite, but any beauty with wheels and low mileage that caught his eye would make it into his collection.

“Daddy” was a great father to his daughters. He was always there for them and expressed his love of them and to them. They have been proud to say, “That’s my dad!” He also has many grandchildren, Alicia (Tobias), Chelsea (Fabian), Addison (Cecilia) and Wiley (Bethanie) Abbas; Jeffrey (Kelli), Jodi (Mack), and Carly (Trevor) Rhodes; Margaret and Thomas Nicolella; and five great-grandchildren, Lydia, Zeno, Thea, Vaela and Georgia.

Summing it all up, Tom Wiley loved life and living. He always had a good time and good friends and good love. A phrase his daughters would often hear was, “When I grow up, I want to be Tom Wiley.”

Friends will be received from noon to 3 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, June 5, in the Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Home, 420 Locust Avenue, Washington, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 6. Interment will be private. Full military honors will be afforded by the Edwin Scott Linton Post #175 of the American Legion, and the U.S. Army.

Condolences may be expressed at www.piattandbarnhillfh.com. Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Directors, Inc., Charles R. Piatt, owner/supervisor, Andrew C. Piatt, director.