Birth Date:
1955-04-10
Graduation year:
1973
Deceased Date:
2023-12-25
Obituary:
Thomas Charles Hibbard passed away suddenly on the evening of December 25,2023. He came into this world on Easter Sunday 1955, the first-born son of Charles Hugh and Jeanne Congdon Hibbard.
Tom is survived by his wife, Debra Onofrio Hibbard, and their son, Christopher and wife Amanda Fisher Hibbard, and daughter Kelly and husband, Raimund Sarion. Also, surviving Tom are his twin sisters, Cheryl and husband David Gourley (nephew Brian and great nephew Brendon) and Carol and husband Jon Bartmess (nephews Timothy and Justin Addington, and niece Julia Hedge and husband Rudi), and youngest brother Richard Hibbard (nephew Jonathan and wife Stephanie and great-niece Madison and great-nephew Parker; and nephew Mike and wife Katie and great-nieces Lauren and Julie). Tom is also survived by many cousins on the Hibbard side, and many in-laws and their families on the Onofrio side. He is also survived by his furry companion of 17 years, Lilly Hibbard.
Tom and his family grew up in Endicott, New York for a few years, before moving to Owego, New York. He attended Newark Valley High School, in Newark Valley NY. Tom was very close to all of his brothers and sisters through the years, and they continued to enjoyed daily and nightly chats together on social media, comparing favorite tv programs, music, and football games.
Tom met and dated Debbie in high school. After high school, he attended Sullivan Community College in New York, receiving an AA in Graphic Design. From there, he attended the University of Buffalo, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art. Shortly after graduation from the University of Buffalo, he married Debbie in April, 1978.
In 1979, Tom and Debbie moved to Cary, North Carolina, where Tom found work as a graphic designer. In 1982, their son Christopher Thomas was born, and in 1985, their daughter, Kelly Lynn was born. Tom was a great father. He was an involved and active father, who was patient, kind, and knew where to draw the line. He was so proud of his children and their spouses and loved them dearly. In 2021, Kelly married Raimund Sarion in New York City, and in 2022, Christopher married Amanda Fisher in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Tom was a spiritual, very tender-hearted man, who had a deep empathy for others. He became a Stephen Minister and felt called to reach out and support those who were going through a hard time in life and who needed a listening ear and compassionate heart.
Tom was an artist, whose medium was pastels. He loved to create through his art and did so throughout his life. He left a large catalog of drawings and pieces that will be cherished. Tom was a great music lover of all kinds of music--international, jazz, rock and roll, and instrumental. He constantly had music in the background of his life and it brought upbeat joy and peace to the house. He was a voracious reader, reading paperbacks by day and his Kindle by night. He also had favorite movies and TV shows that he looked forward to watching and discussing with his family and friends.
Tom had a great sense of humor and often saw the humor in life. He enjoyed his neighbors, looked forward to phone calls and visits with his children and his friends, and having his wife with him. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, and friend to those who knew him. He made a difference in so many peoples’ lives.
How do you sum up someone’s life in such a short quantity of words? His presence, his smile, his laughter, his physical self, and kind and tender heart will be missed.