Thomas "Pappy" Fissore, 78, of Bairdford went to be with our Lord on Sunday.

Born Sept. 28, 1932, he was the son of Tomasso and Maria (Reano) Fissore.

Tom was a 1950 graduate of West Deer High School and a lifelong resident of West Deer Township. During his school years, he was the manager for the football and basketball teams. He was a member of the reunion committee and recently celebrated his 60-year reunion with his classmates.

Tom was a veteran who served in the U.S. Army.

He was a layout man for Portec's Railway Maintenance Division in Blawnox for 38 years. He also worked for Evco Industries in Tarentum. Tom looked forward to and enjoyed the retirement breakfast meetings with his work buddies.

Tom was a lifelong and active member of the St. Victor Church in Bairdford, serving as an altar boy, Eucharistic minister and lector. He was active in many parish clubs including the Young and Restless, the Men's Club and was a bingo volunteer.

Tom enjoyed the time he spent with many close friends in the church community. Tom loved his Catholic faith and gave back to the community by being an active member of the Knights of Columbus and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Tom's hobbies included following the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, vegetable gardening, surfing the Web, bus trips and wine making.

Tom loved spending time with his children and grandchildren.

The greatest lesson we have learned from his life was the example he lived of being a great father, grandparent and friend. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Surviving are his four children, Thomas (Karen) Fissore of Saxonburg, Anne (Michael) Geis of Allison Park, Mark (Shawn) Fissore of Ohio Township and Julie (Richard) Lindelow of King of Prussia; and his 12 grandchildren, Katelynne, Kassandra, Katerina, Abigail and Madalyn Fissore, Gregory and Daniel Geis, Meghan Fissore and Francesca, Nicholas, Rocco and Vincent Lindelow; and many nieces, nephews and godchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, Pearl Fissore, on May 30, 2006; his sister, Lucy Sasinoski; and his parents, Tomasso and Maria Fissore.

<B>FISSORE</B> — Friends of Thomas "Pappy" Fissore, who died Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010, will be received from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>Adam Siemianowski Funeral Home</B>, Starr Road, Russellton, West Deer Township. A Christian funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the St. Victor Roman Catholic Church, Bairdford, West Deer Township, with the Rev. Robert Coyne officiating. Interment will be at Deer Creek Cemetery, Harmar Township.