Obituary of G. Thomas Dibble

G. Thomas Dibble was born April 15th, 1928 in Titusville, PA to the late Will V. and Elsie M. Dibble. He passed away peacefully in the Titusville hospital on May 19th following a short illness. He was a life-long resident of Titusville, aside from his four years in the Navy. After he graduated from Colestock High School in 1947, he was accepted into Edinboro College on a basketball scholarship. He opted instead to join the Navy - where he served during the Korean War as a Torpedoman aboard the USS PUTNAM and USS RICH. He also earned distinction by serving as the Master of Arms for the Executive Officer. After his Naval service, he returned to Titusville where he married the former Agnes Bodamer in May of 1953 and proceeded to have four children; Jon, Jane, Jeff and Jennifer. Shortly after returning home from the Navy, he began working for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a block operator in Northwestern, PA. For his next adventure, he started working for Cyclops Steel in 1966, retiring in 1992 as the Safety Officer and Treasurer of the United Steelworkers Union. Tom and Agnes were also the owners of Dibble’s Cash Grocery Store - the town’s leading purveyor of Swedish Fish and other rare treats. In his spare time, he officiated high school basketball and football for nearly 30 years. Tom was a proud member of the 1947 Basketball Section and District 10 Champions from Colestock High School. He subsequently passed the torch to his son Jeff (a member of the THS Basketball Sectionals champs in 1980), and to his daughter Jennifer (a 1983 District 10 champion in swimming). Tom enjoyed biking and walking, and could often be spotted around town. He also liked golfing, poker nights with the boys, and hunting. He was a member of the Elder Statesman and Mount Hope golf leagues for many years - achieving a hole-in-one in 2004 at the Green Acres golf course. He was also a member of the Bruce Shorts Post 5958 VFW and of the Titusville Lodge No. 754 F&AM. Tom loved to travel. Aside from his many trips around the country, he and Agnes spent several winters in Florida and most recently, with their daughter Jennifer in San Diego. He is survived by his son Jeff Dibble and wife Juliann and their two daughters Olivia and Adeleine of Ellicott City, MD; and daughter Jennifer Slocum and her husband Wayne of San Diego; brother Merle (Bunk) and his wife Peggy Dibble of Pleasantville, as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years - Agnes in 2013, son Jon Scott in 2012, daughter Janie Marie in 1964; as well as four siblings - Lilian Becker, Harvey, Ralph and Jack Dibble. Friends may call at the Gordon B. Garrett Funeral Home on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM and attend the funeral service there on Friday at 1:00PM with Fr. Walter E. Packard, pastor of the Titusville Catholic Community, officiating. Interment will be in St. Catharines Cemetery with full military honors provided by officers and members of the Bruce Shorts Post 5958 VFW and Cleo J. Ross Post 368 American Legion.