Thomas J. Courtney was a beloved father, son, partner, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend.
Tom was born on August 29, 1970, in the Bronx, NY, and passed peacefully surrounded by his loved ones, on September 6, 2026.
He moved to Mahopac in 1979, when he was in the fourth grade, trading in Bronx stickball and walks to the corner store for St. John’s CYO basketball. Having never played basketball, or any organized sport back in the Bronx, he proudly dribbled the length of the court in his very first CYO game… and scored on the wrong basket. Since his parents wouldn’t let him play youth football he put his photographic memory to use and memorized every player’s stats on every team because that is how much he loved the sport. Those early years certainly weren’t a sign of the athlete he would become. He went on to be a standout football, basketball and baseball player at Kennedy Catholic and then a defensive leader on the football team at the University at Albany, where he built friendships that lasted a lifetime.
Sports remained a central part of his life. He found tremendous joy coaching his three sons, Tommy, Mikey, and Matty, his nephews Andrew and Ryan, and countless other kids through the Mahopac Sports Association youth football program. But nothing brought him more joy than watching his boys carry that love of sports into high school and college athletics themselves. More often than not, you’d spot him in his Don Bosco gear, cheering them on, even years after they graduated.
Officiating basketball, football and lacrosse was another way Tom stayed close to his passion of sport. He worked as an NCAA Division I basketball official across a number of leagues. Last year, he received the extraordinary honor of induction into the Catholic High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. He lovingly looked up to the veteran officials who came before him, and he loved mentoring the younger guys that came after him. So much so that he went on to serve as President of the College Basketball Officials Association, and a coordinator of officiating observers.
Pine Grove Country Day School was another cornerstone of Tom’s life. Throughout his childhood, you could find him with his Mahopac and Kennedy buddies playing touch football, wiffleball, and pickup basketball, or swimming in the pool at Pine Grove… always well fed by Grandma Sadie along the way. After deciding Wall Street wasn’t for him, Tom came home to help his mom, Mary, run the school. He became a fixture there, beloved by longtime staff, camp counselors, and students alike.
In the more recent years, Tom really enjoyed spending his time working as a CBS sports official reviewer, where he would assist Gene Steratore behind the scenes, or volunteering at the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. He was also finding joy picking up golf as a new hobby, playing weekly at the local club with family and friends. In fact, he bragged to his whole medical team that he was having a great round on the golf course right before he went to the hospital this past July.
It was early July 2026 that Tom was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia. He fought hard and stayed optimistic and joyful through every day of that fight, becoming a favorite of his nurses and doctors. It was beautiful, and remarkable to see how loved he was. Family and friends filled his hospital room on the daily and often called just to tell him how much they loved him. So many people showed up because Tom had a truly big heart. He had a gift for making people feel like they could share anything with him, without judgment. We take comfort in knowing his big heart carries on, and that he was welcomed home by a wonderful party of angels.
May he watch over all of us, and may he serve as a guardian angel especially to his three boys, and to his nieces and nephews. May he continue to shine his light on Pine Grove and all the children who pass through it for years to come. Amen.
In the words of Kenny Rogers: “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” Tom knew it was time… and he earned every loving embrace he ran into. Now it’s time for Tom to soar.
Survived by his three sons, Thomas, Michael, and Matthew Courtney, and their mother, Andrea Courtney; father, Thomas J Courtney SR; sisters, Deborah Courtney and Maryanne Courtney-LaRue; brothers-in-law, Frank Loverro, Lance LaRue, and George Castegner; nephews, Andrew, Ryan, and Bo; nieces, MaryKate and Faith; bonus moms, Joanne DePaola and Clare Paulmeno; beloved life partner and devoted caregiver, Sheila Cordelli, and her two sons, Tyler and Travis; Aunt, Dorothy Ross, many cousins, his Pine Grove staff, referee and golf buddies, and countless friends both old and new.
Predeceased by his mother and grandmother, Mary Courtney and Sadie Sorentino, his grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins…all receiving him with open arms. We love you Coach!
Visiting was held on September 10, 2026, at Joseph J. Smith Funeral Home, Mahopac. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Sept. 11, at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac with interment that followed at Amawalk Hill Cemetery, Amawalk, NY.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Cycle for Survival in Tom Courtney's memory, supporting rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
A celebration of Tom's life will be scheduled at a later date.
