Thomas Francis Burgoyne, Sr., 82, of Wheeling, West Virginia, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family, on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
Tom was born on December 23, 1940, in Lancaster, Massachusetts, the oldest child of Francis and Alice (Langen) Burgoyne. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his beloved wife of 48 years, Kathy.
Tom graduated from Lancaster High School in 1958 and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History from St. Anselm College in 1963. Upon graduation, he began work as a clerk with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, DC. In 1965 he graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia and began work as a Special Agent, under then-Director J. Edgar Hoover.
Tom’s career as an FBI agent started in Miami, Florida where he was assigned to the Fugitive Squad. He was then transferred to the Pittsburgh FBI Field Office. In the late 1960s another transfer brought Tom to Wheeling, where he met and married his beloved wife Kathy. They settled in the neighborhood of Dimmeydale, and once in Wheeling, Tom poured his heart and soul into the community.
During his time at the Wheeling FBI Office, Tom headed the Federal Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. He dedicated numerous hours to the investigation of Wheeling’s organized crime groups and took pride in the numerous convictions which resulted.
Tom retired from the FBI in 1996 after 33 years with the Bureau and became the Deputy Director of the Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization, a Division of the National Institute of Justice, where he worked for 4 years. From 1997 to 1999 he taught Criminal Justice at Wheeling Jesuit University as an Adjunct Professor. In 2000, he was elected the Sheriff of Ohio County, West Virginia and was re-elected to the position again in 2004, where he served until 2008. In 2008 he obtained his private investigation license, forming TBI Investigations, an endeavor he continued until his death.
Tom made service to others a priority, and he dedicated much of his life to volunteer work. He coached youth baseball in Miami, later helped create and coach the Dimmeydale Rockets little league baseball team, coached YMCA flag football, and was a girls’ basketball coach at St. Michael Parish School. Throughout his life he served on the boards of several Wheeling organizations, including Wheeling Hospital, Crittendon Services; the Homeless Coalition, and Youth Services System, Inc. While Sheriff, he established a program called S.W.E.A.T., Support Wheeling’s Effort at Teens, and seeing his “S.W.E.A.T. kids” succeed in life brought him much joy.
Tom’s three children all graduated from Wheeling Central Catholic High School and Tom’s love for Central and its students was immeasurable. He joined Central’s Boosters club in 1985 and remained active with the club for the remainder of his life. He took pride in working as Central’s liaison to the Drug Free Clubs of America and then helped establish Clubs at schools across the Ohio Valley. He also established an endowment fund at Central in Kathy’s name, which provides tuition assistance to qualifying students. On Friday nights in the fall, you could usually find Tom on the sidelines of a Wheeling Central football game rooting on the Maroon Knights, no matter where in the state the game was being played.
In 2015, Tom and Kathy received the prestigious Bishop’s Cross by the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston for their dedication and contribution to Catholic education.
In 2021, Youth Services System of Wheeling honored Tom with its Good Samaritan Award in honor of his mentorship and encouragement to others, which he often even extended to individuals he had previously arrested.
Tom’s love of the Boston Red Sox took root when he was a boy growing up in Massachusetts in the 40’s and 50’s. He was thrilled when, as part of the Good Samaritan Award, the Red Sox honored him during the seventh inning stretch of the Sox’s September 16, 2021 game against the New York Yankees as their “Hometown Hero.” He was on top of the world, with his children and grandchildren in attendance at the game.
Tom loved joining his family on beach vacations to Cape Cod, where he often ended the day with a plate of little neck clams or oysters on the half shell, a lobster, and a cold beer. He also looked forward to his annual winter trips to Florida, where he had built an entire community of friends. Most of all, he loved spending time watching his grandchildren participate in their respective sports and activities.
Of all his accomplishments, Tom was most proud of the family that he and Kathy built together. Surviving him are his daughter Erin K. Reisenweber (John) of Martinsburg, WV; his son Tom, Jr. of South Jordan, UT; his daughter Elizabeth A. Amico (Joseph) of Peabody, MA; and seven cherished grandchildren of whom he was so proud: Jack, Lilly, and Benjamin Reisenweber; Kenadee and Kannon Burgoyne; and Katie and Joey Amico. He also leaves his sister, Kathleen Durvarney (Steve) and brother Bill, both of Massachusetts; as well as beloved brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law on Kathy’s side of the family and numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom were special to him. He also leaves his special friend, Bea Glenn, with whom he enjoyed much laughter and good times over the past couple of years.
Family and friends will be received from 2 pm to 4 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm on Monday, January 30, 2023, and again from 9:30 am to 11:30 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at Altmeyer’s Funeral Homes – Elm Grove Chapel, 154 Kruger Street, Wheeling, WV.
Funeral liturgy with Mass will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1225 National Road, Wheeling, WV. Interment will be held at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Wheeling.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wheeling Central Catholic High School Tuition Assistance Program, 77 14th Street, Wheeling, WV 26003.
Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.altmeyerfuneralhomes.com
