Obituary of Tom Macchiarella
Thomas Leonard Macchiarella Sr passed on September 17, 2023 in his home in Scotts Valley at 76 years of age. Born in Vanport, Oregon in wartime housing he moved to San Jose California in 1958 where he attended Pioneer High School. He was married to Julie Palmieri for 13 years and had two children, Trisha and Thomas. In his early years he had many unique jobs, a barber, subpoena server, and bowling lane mechanic, to name a few. He was then employed and retired from IBM after a fruitful 25 year career. Still young at heart, body and mind, he turned his IBM clock hobby into a Clock restoration and watch repair business in Los Gatos which led to him opening Santa Cruz TimePieces and Watch Repair that included antiques, jewelry and pawn shop on Seabright Avenue and later moved to Walnut Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz.
He was a member of American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute and a Rolex certified watch repairman. Big Tom, as was known by family and friends, was always a snappy dresser with an abundance of charisma and charm that filled every room. His family years were spent in the Los Gatos mountains where he helped build the family home and lived there for 40 years, creating many fond memories. His later years were spent briefly in Shingle Springs, California, before returning to Scotts Valley to battle Alzheimer’s Disease. Grandpa Tom was a loving and generous family man who will be so very missed.
He is preceded in death by his father, Leonard “Doc” Macchiarella, and his Mother, Dorothy (Stokx) Macchiarella. He is survived by his children, Trisha Ann Macchiarella (Christensen) (husband Dwain), Thomas Leonard Macchiarella II (wife Tawnya) his six grandchildren who he adored and was so proud of: Benjamin Thomas Christensen, Andrew Michael Christensen, Nicole Catherine Christensen, Ava Marie Macchiarella, Jeremy Frank Macchiarella, Matthew Leonard Macchiarella, Nicholas Richard Macchiarella and his loving sisters Tina Simila, Teri Smith, Lisa Bell.
The family will be holding a private ceremony.
