Dateline: Alton

Thomas Fogarty Sr., 71, died Tuesday evening, April 7, 2020 at Alton Memorial Hospital. He was the son of the late William Fogarty Jr. and Sara Lou Fogarty of Swansea. He and his wife Donna were married in 1980, she survives. They were members of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Godfrey. He retired from the US Postal Service.
Tom proudly served in the US Army; he was a Combat Veteran from the Vietnam War and received the Bronze star for bravery. It was during this time, he was exposed to "Agent Orange". The consequence of this exposure revealed itself later in his life. He suffered greatly. Somehow, he found inner strength to soldier-on until his last breath. With everything that was going wrong with his body, he was ecstatic to have been able to participate in the "9 Network Vietnam Stories".
In college, he developed his artistic talent in charcoal sketching and watercolor painting. He enjoyed weightlifting, sports cars, music, animals, and donating to animal protection charities. During his married life, Tom was devoted to 3 furry companions. All of them were important members of his family. Along with his wife and mother, he is survived by a son Thomas Fogarty Jr., of Alton. His son was the joy of his life. He treasured every moment they spent together. Services will be private at Gent Funeral Home in Alton. Father Steven Janoski will officiate. Burial will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO. Memorials may be made to ASPCA or PETA. Online guestbook may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com