State Sen. Thomas Morahan Remembered as Devoted Family Man, Public Servant

At a funeral service in New City packed with hundreds of mourners who ranged from local ambulance corps volunteers to New York's governor, state Sen. Thomas Morahan was remembered Saturday as a man devoted to his faith, his family and to public service.

Morahan, 78, of New City, who died last Monday after a six-month battle with leukemia, was also hailed as a man who was an inspiration to many and who right up until his death was more concerned about his family, friends and the community than himself.

 "He fought to the end for what he believed in and for the people he represented," state Sen. Dean G. Skelos, leader of the Senate's Republicans, said during the service at St. Augutine's Church. "Even in his last days, Tom worked hard and was true to his convictions."

Morahan was a Republican who served a decade in the state Senate representing Rockland County and parts of Orange County, but he was mourned Saturday by a diverse group that crossed traditional political and social lines. Family, friends and political leaders said it was Morahan's unique personality, charm and his overwhelming desire to serve the community that gave him the ability bring people of different political, cultural and religious beliefs together to affect change.

"Tom Morahan was a very special person, who even 30 years ago people were talking about as a leader in public service," Gov. David Paterson said during the funeral service.

Paterson, a New York City Democrat, called Morahan the "gentleman of the Senate" who was respected by Democrats and Republicans for his devotion to his family and his constituents – as well as his no-nonsense approach to government that helped pass hundreds of pieces of legislation that affected thousands of Rocklanders and millions of people in the state.

Paterson and Skelos agreed that Morahan made a big impression on everyone who met him.

"He gave you his honest opinion in his plain-spoken manner," Skelos said. "Tom was a Republican, but he set aside party labels to get things done. He was also a good listener. I don't think I've ever met anyone who was better at getting to the heart of the issue in any debate."

Skelos said Morahan was usually warm and charming, but that he was gruff and direct when he needed to be.

As a public official, Morahan started out in 1977 as a member of the Clarkstown Zoning Board of Appeals and then served as a member of the state Assembly. He was elected to the Rockland County Legislature, where he went on to become its chairman before winning his state Senate seat in 1999.

Morahan was known statewide as a champion for the mentally disabled and he was also remembered for spearheading the legislation that killed the former New York City "commuter tax," which had imposed an income tax on suburban residents who worked in the city.

The Rev. Michael Cedro of St. Joseph's Church in Croton Falls, who was the Parochial Vicar at St. Augustine's, remembered Morahan as a man of deep faith who was a fixture every Sunday at St. Augustine's.

"He spoke from the heart," Cedro said. "He became a champion of the people, fighting for the little guy."

Cedro recalled a recent conversation with Morahan as he was fighting leukemia.

Cedro said Morahan asked if his name was still on the church's prayer list – which asked parishioners to remember specific people in their prayers. When told that he was still on the list, Morahan told Cedro to take his name off the list because there were others suffering more than he was who deserved to be remembered by parishioners.

In addition to Paterson, the funeral was packed with a "Who's Who" of local, regional, state and national public officials and representatives of community organizations. However, the focus of the service was on Morahan's family, for which his devotion was legendary.

Morahan was married for 58 years to his teenage sweatheart, Helen – he was 15 and she was 17 when they first met. Morahan was the father of seven daughters and he was the grandfather of 17.  Speakers at the funeral, including Paterson, recalled how Morahan was devastated by the death of his 28-year-old daughter, Theresa Morahan Simmons, at teacher, in 2004.

Last year, Morahan helped the Campus Fun and Learn Child Development Center at Rockland Community College celebrate the grand opening of a new facility, the Theresa Morahan Simmons Center for Children and Families. The center on the RCC campus in Ramapo is open to the general public as well as to the children of students, faculty and staff.

Speaking for the Morahan family during the funeral, Joan Silvestri, one of Morahan's daughters, described her father as the true "patriarch of the family in every meaning of the word."

Silvestri, who is one of Rockland's two elections commissioners, said her father never missed a Sunday dinner at home and he loved simple things like Friday night Poker games at home and family trips to the beach – and he loved to sing and whistle.

While family was at the core of his life, Silvestri said her father had a passion for service to others.

"My father dedicated the last 35 years of his life to serving others," she said. "His compassion is what defined him."

However, Silvestri said her father often helped people quietly and didn't want any recognition for his service. During his political career, Morahan received many honors for his work, but Silvestri said her father did not seek out such tributes.

"He never understood why people chose to honor him," she said. "He was just doing his job."

Some of the tributes to Morahan could be seen on display during the three days of calling hours at the Higgins Funeral Home in New City leading up to the funeral. Thousands of mourners visited the Morahan family to pay their respects.

Silvestri said members of the family were deeply touched by the support they received during the past week and by the many stories people shared about being helped by Morahan. Silvestri said the family was especially touched by Friday's visit by Archbishop Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York to the funeral home.

Saturday's funeral service was celebrated by Monsignor Edward J. Weber of St. Francis of Assisi Church in West Nyack with Monsignor William Foley of Immaculate Conception Church in Stony Point, the Rev. William Cosgrove of St. Augustine's Church and the Rev. Cedro. They were joined by deacons John Maloney of St. Anthony's Church in Nanuet and Michael McCabe of St. Augustine's.

Morahan's casket was escorted by an honor guard that included the Rockland Sheriff's Department, State Police and Clarkstown Police, with bagpipe players from the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Following the 10 a.m. service, a motorcade that included many emergency services vehicles brought Morahan's casket to St. Anthony's Cemetery in Nanuet for burial.

Morahan is survived by his wife, Helen Morahan of New City; daughters and son-in-laws, Margaret (James) Casola of Ledgewood, N.J., Helen (William) Travers of Pomona, Maureen (Joseph) Pehush of Thiells, Joan (Joseph) Silvestri of Pomona, Nancy (Michael) Shine of Pearl River; 17 grandchildren, Samantha, Matthew, and Allison Scarpulla; Lauren, Emily and Brittany Casola; Katie and Kerri Travers; Ryan (Christina) and Kristin Pehush; Joseph, Casey, and Amanda Silvestri; Kelly, Michael, Thomas and Christopher Barker; his three sisters, Margaret Morahan, Sister Margaret Thomas and Sister Marie Joseph; brother-in-law, John Kelly, and two nieces, Patricia Rauh and Carol Saterini.

He is predeceased by his daughter Theresa Morahan Simmons, granddaughter Mary Margaret Shine and sister-in-law Joan Kelly.

In addition to his public service in elected office, Morahan was an Army veteran of the Korean War. In the private sector, Morahan had risen through the ranks to become an executive with New York Telephone Co., and later was a community relations manager for Orange and Rockland Utilities.