Mr. Thomas R. Yacovella

NORTH UTICA - Thomas R. Yacovella, age 79, passed away on Thursday, January 18, 2018 in the Allen Calder Wing of St. Luke’s Hospital in Utica. Tom was born in Utica on February 7, 1938, the son of Bernard and Antoinette (Antone) Yacovella. Losing his mom at age 11, he and three siblings were welcomed by the Masonic Home in Utica. He lived there from 1950 to 1960, graduating from T.R. Proctor High School and Syracuse University with high honors. After stints as a United States Army Medic in San Antonio, Texas and as a Medical Sergeant in the 77th Division, Tom was awarded a fifth year of study at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Moving to Brooklyn, he was employed as an Art Director at Albert Frank-Guenther Law Advertising in New York. In 1963, he married Joanne Thomas in Jersey City, New Jersey, who would be his bride of 54 years. In 1967, Tom and his family moved to Apalachin, New York. Employed as a Creative Director for Creative Services in Vestal, Tom was responsible for advertising programs for Corning Glass, IBM, and General Electric. He became known as an award-winning logo designer, creating corporate trademarks for more than 250 businesses. In 1973, Tom moved back to Utica and became Vice President/Treasurer of CYR Advertising. In 1975, he founded Tom Yacovella Advertising and Public Relations, an agency that continued to operate in Utica for over 40 years. Tom was happiest in Utica with the Adirondacks “in his backyard”. Many days were spent exploring nature in great detail. As a skillful and devoted outdoorsman, he was known for both his state record brook trout and wild turkey. One of the founders of Wild Turkey Unlimited, in 1973, he was involved with activities promoting the welfare of the wild turkey. He also took part in annual fishing derbies designed to educate youngsters. As a result of his feats afield and his willingness to help others, Tom was inducted into the Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame in 1985. Tom’s attention to the smallest of nature’s details facilitated his second career as an acclaimed wildlife artist. His desire was to explore predator and prey relationships of our North American species. His wild-life painting won national and international awards and are found in collections across the United States and abroad. His signature piece, Keep Looking for a Bluebird, not only won first-place awards in four national competitions, it was rated in the the top 26 watercolors world-wide. His legacy will be equally supported by his famous piece, Tribute to the Whitetail, a sculpture made totally of naturally-shed deer antlers that Tom found over a 51-year search in the wild. This sculpture piece, purchased by John Morris, founder and owner of Bass Pro Shops, is now front and center in the permanent collection of the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri. Tom will be remembered as a man who valued friendships as well as art. He often said, “A friend may well be reckoned a Masterpiece of life”. Tom was also a musician, having performed for 15 years with his wife, Joanne. Known as The Plainfolk, the musical group performed frequently at the Ramada and Treadway Inns in the Utica Area, and at many other venues in New York. A devoted Red Sox fan since 1946, he was happy that in his lifetime, his team won it all in 2004. Tom took great pleasure in teaching good ethics and respect for wildlife to new outdoorsmen through countless talks and lectures covering many subjects. His knowledge and charisma captured the minds and hearts of his listeners. He often ended his programs by saying, “Nature has a picture-book wherein each of us may look, free to all these pictures be, blessed are they who learn to see”. Tom is survived by his loving wife, Joanne; his son, Dr. Thomas J. Yacovella and wife, Gabriella, of St. Paul, Minnesota; his daughter, Debra Yacovella of Utica; two grandchildren, Jacob and Linnea; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Natalie and Stanley Esposito of Pleasantville, New York, and Patricia and George Vafiades of Lake Katrine, New York; and one brother and sister-in-law, Bernard and Patricia Yacovella of Vero Beach, Florida; as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He also leaves a life-long friend Hank Eichenhofer, who since their youth spent many days afield with Tom, as well as close friends Bob Beck and Bob Montesano. In September, Hank and Bob Beck helped make a dream come true for Tom by driving him to Springfield to see his Tribute to the Whitetail sculpture on display at the grand opening of Wonders of Wildlife. As a Master Mason for over 55 years and President of the Masonic Home Kids Alumni Association for over 20 years, Tom also leaves many “brothers” and “sisters” with whom he grew up at the Masonic Home. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial service for Tom on Wednesday, January 24th at 11:00 a.m. at Westminster Moriah Olivet Presbyterian Church, 714 Washington Street, Utica. There will be additional parking in the Radisson Hotel parking garage. Please consider memorial contributions in Tom’s honor to Feed Our Vets, P.O. Box 1, New York Mills, New York 13417 or online at http://www.feedourvets.org/contact/. The family would like to thank the personnel of Home Based Primary Care of the Veterans Association and the staff at the Allen Calder Wing of St. Luke’s Hospital for their care and compassion during Tom’s illness.

Mr. Thomas R. Yacovella

February 7, 1938 - January 18, 2018