Family History and Background
Dr. Thomas J. Scully was born on Nov. 14, 1932 to James Aylward Scully and Evangeline Marie Temple at the Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica, New York. Scully describes the details in which his parents met, a chance encounter between traveling salesman James and nurse Evangeline in Missouri that lead to their marriage at St. John Evangelist Church in St. Louis six weeks later, to the protest of both of their families over religious differences. Scully's maternal grandfather began life as a farmer, but ended up moving to the southern Illinois area working as a salesman for John Deere, eventually becoming a quail farmer until he passed away in his 80's. Scully's family includes the Temple family, early American pioneers who trail-blazed into Kentucky and the Louisiana Purchase and the Scully family, an Irish family which migrated to the United States in 1842 to work on many of the country's canals. James Scully grew up in New York City, and spent time during his childhood at the Auchincloss' Hammersmith Farm outside the city. After James passed away in 1944, and the children were off on their own, Evangeline lived in a New York apartment by herself for more than 30 years. She spent her last years, until passing away in 1983, in Reno, Nevada.
Family History and Background 2
This describes some of the early Scully family details, including the move to New York state in the 1920's, and the health problems that shortened James Scully's life. Thomas Scully then discusses some of his earlier memories, including his early life in New Rochelle and education at Holy Family School, and the time period after his father's death. Scully graduated from the Catholic Iona Preparatory School in 1950, and began working as a busboy and soda jerk in 1948 to help out with costs at home. His mother, Evangeline, supported the entire family after James died and worked as a nurse to put several of her children through college and private preparatory schools. Although he has few vivid memories of his father, Scully recalls his sudden death, three-day wake and massive funeral.