The Heart of the Parade: Meet Grand Marshal Thomas J. O’Leary, Jr.

By Terrence Casey

When the bagpipes sound and the green line marches down West Springfield Road this March, Thomas J. O’Leary, Jr. will be at the front of the procession. A longtime resident and business owner, O’Leary was named the Grand Marshal of the 2026 Springfield Township St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

When first asked to lead the line, O’Leary said his reaction was one of genuine “shock.” His journey in Springfield has lasted nearly his entire life, beginning when his family moved to Delaware County when he was two years old. Today, he remains a fixture of the community, both as a retired veteran and a father whose children now help run the family business.

A Study in Contrast

To understand O’Leary is to understand the building he calls home. The O’Leary Funeral Home on Springfield Road is a study in purposeful contrast. The downstairs, open to the public, is lit with low, warm tones and classic decor. The carpets are meticulously maintained—a fitting environment for a man who said he prides himself on the smallest details in life and after death.

However, follow the stairs to the top floor and the atmosphere shifts. This is where O’Leary lives, in a space his daughter Peggy described as the childhood home for all six O’Leary siblings. Unlike the somber quiet of the showrooms below, the living quarters are bright, modern, and filled with old family photos. During a recent visit, O’Leary sat in this bright space, adjusting the buttons on his sport coat with the same precision he has applied to his work for over four decades.

A 24/7 Commitment

While the community knows O’Leary for his steady presence at the funeral home, his daughter, Katie O’Leary, recalled that this level of service required significant family sacrifice. According to Katie, her parents were a young couple determined to grow their business while remaining active in church and community volunteering. However, she noted that those activities often took a back seat when a call came in that a neighbor had passed away.

“His 24/7 devotion to the community and business was the ‘normal’ in our household,” Katie O’Leary said. She recalled many middle-of-the-night calls where her father would leave to assist a family in their home. She even remembered Christmas mornings where the six children waited to go to the attic to open presents because their father was out working. “There is no real schedule in his line of work,” she said, noting that both her mother and father understood and honored this commitment throughout their entire life together.

Roots in Service and Education

O’Leary attended Holy Cross, Monsignor Bonner, and Saint Joseph’s University. He remains a supporter of the local parochial school system. “Carol and I went to Catholic school, and my parents were devoted to volunteering for the church,” O’Leary said. “We wanted the same for our children.” He noted that his late wife, Carol, also appreciated that the children wore uniforms.

Before establishing his business in the township, O’Leary served as a Navy corpsman during the Vietnam War. He said that caring for the suffering in a high-pressure environment taught him the meaning of compassion. “I learned it’s more important to listen to people in their time of need,” O’Leary said. “When you are trying to help suffering people, it humbles you and makes you learn patience.”

A Professional Calling

O’Leary’s path to Springfield was paved by years of dedication to his craft. He recalled the days of attending embalming school in New York, making the daily commute to hone a skill set that requires technical ability and emotional intelligence. For 31 years, he assisted at a funeral home in Ardmore, eventually taking a step back as the owners’ sons grew into the business.

In 1976, he opened O’Leary Funeral Home, Ltd. in Springfield. His philosophy on the work is intimate and personal. When discussing the preparation of the deceased, O’Leary noted a preference for minimalism to maintain authenticity. “I don’t like to use makeup,” O’Leary said. “But if I do, I like to use theirs.” This focus on the individual has allowed him to develop deep ties within the community. “When we built O’Leary Funeral Home, we were honored to help people in their time of need,” he said. “It developed relationships and lasting friendships.”

Community Involvement

O’Leary’s history of volunteerism includes serving as Treasurer for the Primos/Secane Fire Company, the Knights of Columbus, and the Kiwanis Club. He recalled one specific instance during his time with the fire company that stood out.

“When Laura Bush visited our firehouse, I got a beep for work,” O’Leary said. Despite having been heavily involved in fundraising for the construction of the new garage, the Secret Service would not allow him back into the building once he had left to attend to his professional duties.

Behind his community efforts was a 50-year partnership with his wife, Carol. They raised six children while volunteering for various local organizations. “We enjoyed volunteering together,” O’Leary said. Today, that family legacy continues as his son, Tommy O’Leary III, and his daughters run the company, keeping the business moving with the same meticulous care their father established.

Leading the Parade

While O’Leary said he has spent most of his Saturdays over the last few decades working, he always met up with friends and family after the parade concluded. This year, he will lead the route. When he marches down Saxer Avenue on March 14, O’Leary said he will be thinking about the honor of being chosen and the fact that it is his daughter Colleen’s birthday.

The parade kicks off at noon on March 14, moving from West Springfield Road to the reviewing stand at Old Central School. When asked what advice he would give to young people looking to get involved in the township, O’Leary encouraged them to look to their immediate surroundings. “Get to know your neighbors and see what’s needed,” he said. “Do what you enjoy.”

25
Feb, 2026

Adding Color to a Snow-Covered Town

By Terrence Casey

When freezing temperatures hit the Delaware Valley this winter, many residents retreated indoors. But at the corner of Summit and North Hillcrest Roads, Jess Badolato and her neighbors saw an opportunity for a colorful community project. What started as a creative challenge between two families soon transformed into a vibrant “rainbow igloo” that has been stopping traffic and spreading smiles throughout the neighborhood.

The project was a joint venture between the Badolatos and their neighbors across the street, the Arimotos. While the parents spearheaded the construction, the heart of the project was for the kids: Cammie and Chase Badolato along with Josephine and Emmaline Arimoto. “We obviously did this for the kids,” Jess Badolato said. “They all love to play outside in the snow, and we thought it would be a fun activity to all do together.”

The process was a study in patience and sub-freezing consistency. Using aluminum foil pans, the families froze hundreds of individual ice bricks tinted with food coloring, letting them set for 12 to 24 hours at a time. In total, the team dedicated about eight hours of labor over the course of a week to stack and secure the colorful blocks.

As the structure grew, so did the neighborhood’s interest. Neighbors frequently offered waves, encouragement, and positive feedback as they watched the rainbow walls take shape. (It even generated news coverage from CBSnews.) To add to the magic, the families even installed string lights to illuminate the igloo from within at night. The glowing display has become a local sensation, with neighbors often stopping to admire the colors or even asking to take family photos inside the icy masterpiece.

Delco250: A Countywide Celebration 250 Years in the Making

By Terrence Casey

As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of its founding, Delaware County is stepping forward in a big way. The national Semiquincentennial — guided by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and its America250 Foundation — has been underway since 2020 and will culminate on July 4, 2026.

In Pennsylvania, the statewide America250PA Commission is working to make the milestone “EPIC”: Educate, Preserve, Innovate, Celebrate. Here in Delco, the local effort — America250PADelco — is bringing that vision to life with a mission to ignite imaginations, celebrate diverse stories, inspire service, and highlight 250 years of American history through Delco’s unique lens. Their goal is simple but ambitious: ensure that everyone who lives or works in Delaware County can find meaningful ways to participate and feel pride in being part of this historic moment.

Delco has always played an outsized role in the American story. William Penn first landed here in 1682, establishing our county as “Where Pennsylvania Began.” Today, the traditions of civic engagement and community spirit are still vibrant, — found in historic sites, bustling main streets, cultural institutions, natural spaces, and the everyday experiences that make Delco home. America250PADelco hopes to amplify that spirit through programs, partnerships, and celebrations that will resonate long after 2026.

A Call for Volunteers and Community Partners

A major part of the Semiquincentennial effort is mobilizing residents to serve their community. Through Delco Volunteers, all local nonprofits, groups, municipalities, and schools can register for a free Golden License and post 2026 volunteer opportunities. The county-wide call to service aims to inspire “We the People of Delco” to engage with our shared history, improve civic spaces, and work together to ensure we remain DelcoStrong for 250 More Years.

Organizations can also become Community Program Partners, co-creating this county-wide celebration. Whether it’s a parade, performance, exhibition, reenactment, day of service, tree planting, or neighborhood cleanup — any program with a tie to the 250th is welcome. Partners receive county-wide marketing support, new collaborative connections, fundraising guidance, website visibility, and the opportunity to be selected as a signature America250PADelco project.

As 2026 approaches, America250PADelco is creating space for every resident to join in — honoring our past, celebrating our present, and building a stronger future together.

Delaware County Black History

Exploring Upper Darby’s Underground Railroad Walking Tour

by Terrance Casey

Just minutes beyond Springfield lies a remarkable concentration of sites connected to one of the most courageous chapters in American history: the Underground Railroad.

Today, residents can explore this legacy through Upper Darby’s self‑guided Underground Railroad Walking Tour, a reflective journey across places where enslaved men, women, and children once sought freedom with the help of brave local abolitionists.

The walking tour highlights the deep abolitionist roots of the area, especially among the Garrett, Sellers, Rhoads, and Pennock families — names that appear again and again in the historical record. These families were part of a broad Quaker network in Delaware County actively resisting slavery long before the Civil War. Many belonged to the Pennsylvania Anti‑Slavery Society and supported the free‑produce movement, which encouraged boycotting goods made by enslaved labor.

One of the first stops on the tour is Thornfield, a key Underground Railroad station at 3218 Garrett Road. Owned over time by several members of the Garrett family, Thornfield played a vital role as freedom seekers traveled north. The house served as a link in a chain that extended from Wilmington — where famed abolitionist Thomas Garrett Jr. helped an estimated 2,700 people escape slavery — to stations throughout Upper Darby.

Not far away sits the former site of Riverview House, the birthplace of Thomas Garrett Jr. Built in the late 18th century, the home later sheltered fugitives on their way toward freedom. In an 1858 letter, Garrett described sending a woman and her seven children — Ann Maria Jackson and her family — to relatives in Upper Darby after their dramatic escape from Maryland.

The tour also includes Hoodland, now home to Sellers Library, once the residence of Abraham and Elizabeth Pennock. Abraham Pennock was a leader in the Pennsylvania Anti‑Slavery Society and editor of The Non‑Slaveholder, a periodical advocating a boycott of slave‑produced goods. His home became a gathering place for prominent abolitionists, including poets John Greenleaf Whittier and James Russell Lowell.

Other notable sites include the Museum at Arlington, which preserves letters, photographs, and artifacts belonging to the Garrett family. The museum documents Harriet Tubman’s connection to the area and includes items such as Thomas Garrett Jr.’s hat. Nearby, Sellers Hall, one of the oldest buildings in Delaware County, was once a station where as many as 30 freedom seekers found shelter at a single time.

The final stop brings visitors to Friends Southwestern Burial Ground, resting place of several key abolitionists whose homes and farms appear throughout the tour. This quiet cemetery ties together the personal histories of those who risked so much in service of freedom.

To plan your visit and access maps, background materials, and site descriptions, go to https://www.upperdarby.org/UndergroundRailroadWalkingTour.