Thomas “Tom” Shaw Cloran

EAST LIVERPOOL – Thomas “Tom” Shaw Cloran, succumbed to the perils of old age Wednesday, November 15, 2023.  He lived each day fully and fought stubbornly to remain in this world. Few would have persisted through the debilitating challenges he knew over the past ten years.

First born child of the late Dorothy Shaw and Francis J. “Mike” Cloran, he was born in East Liverpool, Ohio April 24, 1921.  As a child, he attended St. Aloysius School then East Liverpool High School, and graduated in the class of 1939.  After graduation he attended The Ohio State University.  His enrollment was interrupted by World War II.

During the war he served in the Army Air Corp and was stationed in Pueblo Colorado for 3 years, serving as a Gunnery Sergeant.  There he trained enlisted airmen to fire weaponry while aboard fighting airships. Tom thrived in this era when “music was music” and dance floors were crowded. He perfected his smooth style of dance spurring spectators to shout out, “Man! Can he cut a rug!” He continued dancing throughout his life and enjoyed many Square Dances with his long time partner, Goldie Miller.

After the war, Tom re-enrolled at The Ohio State University where he first studied dentistry, then later chemical engineering in metallurgy. He was employed as a chemical engineer for Crucible Steel, the largest producer of specialty steels in America at that time.  During his 30 plus years with Crucible Steel he produced work and insights of high value for the company and has his name on several patents.  The advancement of powder metallurgy relative to the creation and use of titanium flour stand out as significant technical contributions within his body of work.

Tom excelled at golf and made The Ohio State University varsity golf team as a freshman in 1942.  He twice ascended to the finals in match play for the Ohio Public Links Golf Championship and was twice club champion for the Crucible Management Golf Club. He continued to play golf well into his 90’s and whenever asked what type of ball he was playing would respond “OP’s” (other people’s).

He appreciated nearly all sporting contests, and enjoyed coaching school children in Church League Basketball at St. Aloysius and in East Liverpool Little League Baseball with the Travelers Hotel Baseball team throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s.   His teams won multiple championships in those years.  He was a sought after coach by parents for their children, not only for his winning prowess, but even more so for his hard-nosed ‘No Nonsense’ coaching style.  

On retirement Tom found his joy in working around his home, flowerbeds and wooded property.  He joined several golf leagues and played and practiced as often as he could.  He delighted in traveling and always looked forward to visits with his children and their families.  He avidly followed the progress of all Ohio State Buckeye teams as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates.

In May of 1956 Tom married Katherine Virginia Johannes Krieger Cloran  

Together they had 3 children (surviving) Stephen Allen Cloran and his wife Lisa, of Hamilton Ohio, Shawn David Cloran and his wife Mary Gabric, their 3 children: Dori, Henry and Michael of Wauwatosa Wisconsin, and Keely Elizabeth Cloran of East Liverpool Ohio. 

Tom also helped to raise a son of Katherine’s from a previous marriage:  William Francis Krieger of Beaver Falls, PA (also surviving).  

Katherine passed away in 2004.  Also preceding Tom in death are his sister Mary Cloran Smith of Beaver PA (May 2015) and his brother Dr. Arthur J. Cloran DDS of Columbus Ohio (March 2016).

Remember Dad, It’s not the things you do in life that you regret, it’s the things you don’t do.  And at 102 you did it all!

A memorial celebration of Tom Cloran’s life will be posted at a future date.  The Martin Chapel of Care Funeral & Cremation Specialists in Calcutta were entrusted with arrangements