Page 41 - SEPTEMBE 2018 Newsletter

On the green, the third Skelly family group included, from left, Rick Regal, Rick Centracco, Ray Centracco and Mark Regal.
It runs in the family
Lodge 7 Golf Outing pays tribute to esteemed member Thomas Skelly
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Skellys filled the Cog Hill Golf Club courses on Aug. 27 during the 2018 Chicago Lodge 7 Golf Outing. Detective Tom Skelly led a foursome that included his nephews Brian and Bob, also CPD officers. Tom’s brother-in-law, Mark, also a detective, led anoth- er foursome. Cousins filled another group.
Skellys were all over the course, as they have been for nearly 50 years of FOP golf outings. As they should, for it wouldn’t be a proper FOP golf outing without the Skellys. And the Lodge 7 golf outing might not had reached its current magnitude with- out Thomas J. Skelly. Actually, Lodge 7 might not have reached its current magnitude without Tom Skelly.
“My dad ran this thing for 30 years,” Tom informed without even being prompted by a question. “He loved this day. He would wake up at dawn, come down to set everything up, sell raffle tickets and then follow everybody around the course. Talk to everyone here. They will tell you he was one of the best.”
Everybody from Lodge 7 Treasurer John Capparelli, the cur- rent golf outing honcho, to retired members with 40-plus years on the job, confirmed how he was one of the best. Thomas J. Skelly passed away in November 2012, having served 43 years with the Department and just as many with Lodge 7.
Since then, the FOP golf outing has been played In Memori-
40 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2018
Other members of Skelly family playing, from left: Mark Regal, Ryan Fer- guson, Mike Regal and Rick Regal Jr.
um to Skelly. He was part of the team John Dineen, the inaugu- ral Lodge 7 president, led to build what has become biggest FOP Lodge in the country. Skelly might not be on the Lodge 7 Mount Rushmore, but he is right there as one of its founding fathers.
The annual Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge 7 Golf Outing again gathered hundreds of active and retired members, family and friends, and supporters and sponsors from the busi- ness community to carry on the tradition. The 2018 outing pro- vided its usual dose of camaraderie – non-stop fraternalism that puts the capital “F” in FOP – as well as great food and beverages, prizes and a heaping helping of respite from all that goes with being a Chicago Police Officer.
And Thomas Skelly was there, of course, still overseeing it all.
“Just with the weather alone, he’s here,” exclaimed Area 3 De- tective Mark Regal, Tom’s son-in-law, noting how sunshine pre- vailed over forecasted rain on this day. “He would never not be here. You ask anyone here. They can feel him.”
Tom Skelly recognized the presence of his father from a more whimsical perspective: “Every bad bounce is him,” he quipped. “He was a horrible golfer.”
Nevertheless, the Skelly name is one of the most renowned in the Department. Thomas’ late brother John ascended to commander. Between his children and grandchildren, seven are currently serving on the job. His beloved wife of 55 years,
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and Bobby Regal (kneeling).
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
■ PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO
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