Vol. 16, No. 36	July 10, 1997

Memorial service July 21 for Mr. Thomas F. Vacha

At Delaware, Mr. Vacha was responsible for the University's multi-campus facilities, involving more than 400 buildings on approximately 2,600 acres, with an annual operating budget approaching $50 million.

"All friends of the University of Delaware are indebted to Tom Vacha," UD President David P. Roselle said. "In particular, the many improvements in the physical plant for which he was responsible will benefit our institution far into the future."

Executive Vice President David Hollowell said, "Tom Vacha loved the University of Delaware. His contributions to the improvement of the campus will be a lasting memorial to his dedication and good work."

When Mr. Vacha joined the Delaware staff in 1988 as director of plant operations, he brought more than 30 years' experience in the field from a variety of positions in government, education and private industry. Previously, he had served as superintendent of building operations at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he had responsibility for all mechanical and electrical facilities operations. Additionally, during his career, he had been manager of b uilding operations at Harvard University and had held engineering and maintenance management positions with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as with the Sheraton, Itek, Hazeltine and Northrop corporations and the Raytheon Co.Ðall in Massachusett s.

He was named an assistant vice president at UD in 1994, in recognition of his contributions and expertise.

Next week, Mr. Vacha was to have assumed the presidency of the Association of Higher Education Facility Officers (APPA) for 1997-98Ða mark of his professional standing among his peers and a testimonial to his long-time contributions to the field. This yea r, he had been serving as president-elect of the organization, which he first joined in 1974.

His association with APPA had been an active one and included speaking and presenting papers at conferences, serving as vice president for professional affairs from 1992-96, participating in facilities management evaluation programs, serving on the facult y of the organization's professional institute for several years, developing a guide for prospective evaluators in facilities management evaluation programs and helping to prepare its plant administration manual.

Mr. Vacha was born Aug. 5, 1938, in South Boston, Mass. He married his wife, Margery, who survives, in 1963. They had three children, Timothy of Quincy, Mass.; Tammy Carreiro of Assonet, Mass.; and Tara Dick, a 1992 graduate of UD, of New Castle, Del.

Mr. Vacha also is survived by two brothers, Edward of Scituate and Robert of South Boston; eight nieces and nephews; and one grandson. Mr. Vacha graduated in 1956 from Technical High School in Boston, and he pursued his college degree part-time at night for 13 years, before earning a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology in 1968 from Northeastern University. He also held an associate's degree in mechanical engineering from Northeastern.

Two years ago, in Delaware's alumni publication, The Messenger, Mr. Vacha, a member of the Delaware Diamonds Society, which honors the UD's most generous donors, reflected on his involvement with the campus: "I've done all sorts of things that I never had a chance to do as a young person because I didn't have a conventional four-year college experience. With my daughter, Tara, and her friends, I was able to go on a spring break, and I went to Indianapolis to see our basketball team play in the championshi p." A veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve, Mr. Vacha retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1990, after 34 years' service. His last military assignment was as chief of the Maintenance Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics in the 94th Army Reserve Command. Viewing will be from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., Thursday, July 10, at the Richardson-Gaffey Funeral Home in Scituate. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, July 11, at St. Mary of the Nativity Church in Scituate Harbor. Burial will be in Massachuset ts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Compassionate Care Hospice of Delaware or to the American Cancer Society.