After 34 years working at Lakeview Cemetery, Thomas “Bo” Hickey will retire as superintendent at year-end.
In a conversation with the Advertiser, Hickey thanked, “Gail (Overbeck) in the office. Everybody thinks how important the superintendent is, but the most important person in the cemetery is the one who says, ‘Good morning, Lakeview Cemetery.’ ”
Hickey also thanked Nick Pia and Steve Broadhurst for their “boundless energy.”
Hickey spent nine years as assistant superintendent of Wee Burn Country Club in Darien before moving to Lakeview Cemetery. As superintendent of Lakeview, Hickey worked with three staff members to operate and maintain the 41-acre property.
“This is really an old-school cemetery,” he said. “It’s hills and trees and ponds and everything else. We take on a yeoman’s task to keep this place in a respectable order.
“You never know who is going to call; there’s just a myriad of things to do,” Hickey said. “Last winter we were plowing snow almost every day, never mind trying to clear graves off. Whatever a landscaper does at your house, just multiply that by 40 acres. It’s a never-ending cycle of things to do.
“In the cemetery a lot of times you are dealing with tragic circumstances,” he said. “Somebody loses somebody in the family, I don’t care if the person is 100 years or ten days old, it is a tragedy. You are dealing with emotional times with people. You have to be able to keep a level head.”
Pete Passaro will take over as superintendent. Hickey said, “He (Passaro) knows the operations of the cemetery; he fits in very easily.”
Hickey was born in Stamford. He played football, baseball and ran track for Stamford Catholic High School (now Trinity Catholic) in the 1960s. He dominated at Stamford Catholic as a running back before playing at University of Maryland for the 1963, ‘64 and ‘66 seasons. After college, he played one season with the Denver Broncos in 1967, rushing for 263 yards and four touchdowns before injuries ended his career.
Hickey also is well known for his coaching career in town. As the coach of the New Canaan High School boys ice hockey team for 21 seasons, Hickey’s teams reached the semifinals of the state tournament 10 times and the title game six times, before he retired in August of 2014.
Hickey has also assisted coaching baseball and football for New Canaan High.
Thomas “Bo” Hickey stands next to the front gate of Lakeview Cemetery where he has served as superintendent for 34 years. — Rich Durazzo, Jr. photo
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