Obituary of Thomas P. Hartnett, Ph.D.

Dr. Thomas P. Hartnett, 83, of Somers, New York, passed away peacefully on September 27, 2025, at home with his beloved wife, Mary, at his side. Born in Dobbs Ferry on January 19, 1942, to Timothy and Anne, Tom lived a life defined by devotion to family, professional achievement, and service to his community.

Family was always at the center of Tom’s life. He was the loving husband to Mary for 54 years and proud father of Tom (married to Rachel) and Walter (married to Lauren). He took his greatest joy in being “Pops” to his grandchildren Elisabeth, John, and Gabriel. Tom was also the cherished older brother of Nancy, Danny, Kevin, and Brian.

Tom began his long life of work and service with a paper route and as an altar boy. After being honorably discharged from the Army, he came home to support his family by taking over his father’s bar, the Shamrock House in Dobbs Ferry. The years spent there gave him endless stories to tell and what he often described as his best education in business—and it was where he first saw his Mary. While working long hours behind the bar, he earned his degree at Fairfield University, later completing an MBA from Iona College and a Ph.D. from New York University.

He went on to be a pioneer in the healthcare industry, founding HealthWays, an early health management company, which he successfully took public in 1985. He later served as President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, where his leadership left a lasting mark on the region’s healthcare system.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Tom was deeply committed to civic and charitable service. He contributed his time and expertise as a Boy Scout troop leader, a Little League coach, a member of the Planning Board of Somers, and through board service and fundraising for Canisius College, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Albright-Knox Art Museum, and Catholic Charities.

In his free time, Tom found peace and joy at the house he and Mary built on Schroon Lake in the Adirondack Mountains, where he spent many happy days with family, and he was always planning his next trip to see his cousins at his family’s beautiful homestead in Ardgroom, County Cork, Ireland. He was an avid gardener and also loved to make Irish fish chowder and soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day using his mother’s recipe.

Tom will be remembered for his generosity, his grit, his stories, and above all, his deep love for his family.

Visitation will be held at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah, New York, on Friday, October 3, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., with a short service at 5:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Somers, New York, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 11:30 a.m.

Family and friends are warmly invited to attend and honor Tom’s life. There will be a private interment.