Thomas S.J. Wolownik

November 5, 1942 - September 10, 2026

Thomas S.J. Wolownik went home on September 10, 2026, surrounded by his loving family in Chandler, Arizona.

He was born on November 5, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of the late Joseph and Mary (Glovas) Wolownik. When Tom was seven, the family moved to Coatesville, Pennsylvania, where he graduated from Scott High School in 1961. He went on to serve in the Seabees division of the U.S. Navy from 1961 - 1966. After coming home from the Navy, Tom met Arden Chew and they married in Coatesville on November 27, 1970. The family soon added son Todd and daughter Nicole, and moved to Honey Brook, Pennsylvania where they resided for 42 years. In 2017, Tom and Arden moved to Chandler, Arizona to be closer to family.

He was a crane operator for 36 years and a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers. Even after Tom retired, he would get excited when he saw cranes, telling us all about the crane models.

A master DIY’er, he enjoyed working with wood, especially when it came to making wooden toys. Tom’s craftsmanship shined in whatever he built, whether it was cabinets, kayaks, or tables. One of his first loves was his boat, which over the years would be docked on tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, and finally Rock Hall, Maryland, which would be his last marina. There was never a question as to where Tom and Arden would be on the weekend, or vacation—always on the boat! He loved to explore nature and if Tom wasn’t on the boat, in a canoe or a kayak exploring waterways, he was hiking and camping. He had so much appreciation of natural world.

Tom was especially fond of working with children and enjoyed sharing his knowledge, experience and laughter with the kids. As a Boy Scout Master and a youth football coach he was able to do this and loved watching the boys grow in their experiences.

Tom was always the jokester, his joking, laughing and playful nature were infectious and his grin lit up every room he entered.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Arden Wolownik, son & daughter-in-law, Todd & Heather Wolownik, daughter & son-in-law Nicole & Andrew Smith, and four grandchildren, Ava Wolownik, Markus Wolownik, Ashley Castillo and Kyle Smith.

A celebration of Tom’s life will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 3PM at The Sun Bird Golf Resort, Lakeview Room, 6250 S Sunbird Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85249. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to ASPCA.org