Tom was born to William and Clara Yole on June 13, 1931, the sixth of seven children. During his high school years in Hudson Falls, he worked at the A & P Store stocking shelves and bagging groceries. At graduation in 1948, he was awarded a New York State Scholarship and attended Albany State Teachers College graduating in 1952. During his college years, he supplemented his scholarship funds by stocking shelves at the Empire Market, redecorating apartments for an Albany landlord, and unloading mailbags for the New York Central Railroad. His summers were spent on the log pile at Finch Pruyn & Company
In 1952, Tom taught mathematics at the Fort Ann Central School District. He began his career with the Hudson Falls Central School District as a Mathematics Teacher in 1952, left in 1961 to teach in Glens Falls, and was hired again in 1972 as Principal at the Hudson Falls Junior High School. Tom touched thousands of young lives in both Washington and Warren counties during his time with the school district. In 1965, he was designated as the New York State “Outstanding Young Educator” for the Year, by the Jaycees. He was a member of the Edward E. Potter Club of Union College, a member of the Sandy Hill Foundation Scholarship Committee, Treasurer of the Kingsbury community pool, Councilman for the Town of Kingsbury (1965-69), a Trustee for the Hudson Falls Library (1980-97), member of the American Cancer Society for 33 years, and Chairman of the Swim-A-Thon for Cancer. After Tom started teaching, he built his home on Notre Dame Street Extension. He tutored students, worked at Alphonso‘s as an expeditor and worked for John Hughes’ Construction Company building homes, spent summers at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada, teaching, which he used to say were working vacations,
He retired from the Hudson Falls Central School District in 1986.
June 30, 1951, he married Patricia White. Together, they raised nine children, six girls and three boys. Pat passed away in December 1992. On May 7, 1994, he married Patricia Busher Taylor. They reside at 94 Oak Street, Hudson Falls.