Andrew Thomas “Mr. Tom” Olaisen passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at the age of 91 in Poquoson, VA. He was born in Newport News, VA, on December 7, 1934, to Grace and Andrew Olaisen, and he was a proud Newport News High School Typhoon, class of 1953.
Mr. Tom was employed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula in 1954, and he became the Executive Director in 1965. He semi-retired in 1996 and worked the next 13 years as a consultant and special events coordinator for the Clubs. After his wife passed away in 2018, Tom enjoyed a second career with George’s Realty as the office manager at the Berkley South apartment complex and worked until last Christmas Eve. He also served two years in the Army in Germany from 1957 to 1959.
Under Mr. Tom’s leadership, the Club was integrated in 1965 and began serving girls in 1991. As Executive Director, Tom was a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Committee on Special Events, directed Summer Day Camp, performed countless public relations tasks for the United Way, and participated as a member of a special citizens’ committee to assess behavior problems in Newport News public schools. He received the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Bronze Keystone Award for dedicated service to youth and was recognized by the Virginia General Assembly for his years of outstanding service with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula. He was also presented with a Humanitarian Award by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and the Community Impact Award by the Peninsula Sports Club.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Alice, his son, Tommy, Jr., and his brother and sister-in-law, Arthur and Roxann. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Kirk Ayers, his grandson, and his wife, Tyler and Kristin Ayers, and their children, Lyla and Landon. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews and many relatives in Norway.
Visitation will be held in the chapel at Liberty Live Church in Hampton at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3, followed by a funeral service celebrating his life at 11:30 a.m. Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. at Peninsula Memorial Park. To view the livestream of the service go to https://libertylive.church/livestream and select the Hampton campus. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Tommy Olaisen, Jr., Memorial Scholarship Foundation at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula, 11825 Rock Landing Drive, Suite B, Newport News, VA, 23606.
Arrangements are under the care of Peninsula Funeral Home, 11144 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601.
28 Comments
RIP Mr.Tom, thank you for all you did for Me, my family and all the boys you touch….all my youth memories all have the Boys Club in them.
Mr Tom was a special person to all that knew him. I have only known him about 4 years as he managed the office at Berkeley South Apts. He will totally be missed. No one will take his place.
I’m going to use a book title to characterize his life “Angel Unaware.”
Having enjoyed being a member of the Peninsula Boys’ Club throughout my childhood days and then being employed there as Program Director for 15 years, I will truly miss his presence. He was a family man and his family was really large when you consider all of the club members that “Belonged” and knew Mr. Tom. Friendships and memories were made there as we experienced life together having “Fun With A Purpose.”
I encourage others to write your memories here too for the family and friends to read and to celebrate his life and your relationship with this good man.
Thak you Mr.Tom for the gift you gave to so many generations of kids. As I became older, I realized just how much you and the club influenced and help change so many of us. I will always be grateful and hold a special place in my heart for you and the club. May you rest in peace with our Lord and savior.
Malcom well said about Mr. Tom, but you were also a great influence on many of our lives during your 15 years at the Boys’ Club
God bless and rest Mr. Tom. A positive force in my life and the lives of so many others.
A great man with the patience of Job. A mentor and friend to all.
Tom was a dear gentleman and admired by all that knew him. Blessings to his family.
I’ve been doing Mr Tom’s inside a little kid when I used to go down to the boys club on Jefferson avenue and he worked out here where I live at now he was a good man and an honest man and they don’t make me like him anymore I’m so sorry for your loss rest in peace time I love you my old friend
Mr Tom was a good man,and our guiding light if you ever walked through the Boys Club doors .He made it a place you wanted to be.Lots of great memories that I will never forget.RIP Mr.Tom
I remember ‘Mr. Tom’ from the Boys Club from the mid 60’s to early 70’s. He was a nice man, patient and helpful to what seemed like a mob of rambunctious, rowdy boys and I remember wondering who would want a job like that, but glad he was doing it for us. I didn’t know it at the time but he was a great role model, one of the grownups we respected that weren’t family. Only after I got a lot older did I realize just how incredible it was that he helped so many kids for so long. We were lucky to have had his example and he truly left his world a better place. Rest easy Mr. Tom, good job.
There’s not enough words for the love and kindness you’ve shown me through all these years. You’ll forever be in my heart. May you rest in peace Mr. Tom.
Mr. Tom was such a kind man. A model of integrity and empathy. His presence will be missed, but never forgotten!
My brother Scott and I lived literally lived at the Boys Club from 1971-1977. It greatly impacted our lives in a very positive and meaningful way. Mr. Tom was a kind and gentle man who treated all of us like his own kids. RIP Mr. Tom and my prayers to your family.
I agree with everything has posted. I’ll add one: Don’t challenge Mr. Tom to a ping pong game!
Thank you for your friendship Mr Tom, we will miss you dearly. God Bless.
Growing up in the Wythe area of Hampton, I was envious of the Boys Club in Newport News facility and opportunities there for boys .Later while practicing law in Newport News Bud Porter and Frank Schwalenberg introduced me to Mr.Tom, and they convinced me to become active as a director for the Boys Club.
I had the privilege to observe Mr Tom perform his many roles as the executive director, mentor for thousands of young boys and girls, tireless soft sales approach to fundraising activities and creating a safe, fun environment for The Kids.to say he was dedicated to running this organization is a gross understatement. It was his life and his commitment and service to the community at large is remarkable.
Tom took great pride in seeing the development of these youth into productive citizens .it speaks volumes of the appreciation and live almost all of the kids had for Mr Tom by those who became directors, contributing time and money to the organization later in their life.
If you measure one’s life by the number of friends one leaves behind, Mr Tom left villages of folks whose life was positively impacted by his guidance and leadership in shaping their lives
This introduction to Mr Tom and see his energy and vision for The Kids had a major and positive impact influencing my civic activities to follow his example.
RIP my friend
RIP Mr. Tom!
My heartfelt condolences to the family of this good man. I am so grateful for his remarkable life of service to the youth of our community. Truly, his was a life of meaning and purpose!
So sorry to read about the passing of Tom.I have known Tom and his family,as we were neighbors for many years.
We played many sports together in our early teens.
My prayers are certainly with the family at this difficult time.My he rest in peace.
Dear Thomas, many thanks for a very strong and longtime relationship, good conversations and lasting memories. Rest in peace.
Love from Berit,
Sidsel and Pål,
Kine and Per,
and the rest of your Norwegian family.
I growed up in the boys club in the 50’s and 60’s. Tom was allways there for me. I started boxing at a youg age for a few years. Back in the early 80’s Tom ask my brother and me if we could come back to boys club to start boxing program back up, we did until the boy club moved from Jefferson Ave to upper Newport News. At that time they stopped the boxing program. The last time I saw Tom was at one of the dinners people were having at Angelo restaurant. I never thought that would be the lass time I would see him. Tom was a good man.
I saw Mr.Tom a few years ago at a restaurant in Poquoson, he was with his family having lunch. I walked over to say hi and right off the bat he knew me without saying anything even tho he hadn’t seen me in years, that’s the man he was, he asked how my Mom was doing and how my brother was doing. The Boys Club back in the day was absolutely the best time for kids and a big reason for that was Mr. Tom. Rest in Peace my friend, say hey to my Mom, she thought the world of you also.
Mr. Tom took time with everyone who came to the club. I will always remember and ha the utmost respect for him!
Mr. Tom has a special place in the heart of all us Newmarket boys. His interaction with us made the Boys Club a welcoming and fun place to be growing up. His character had a strong influence on us that helped keep us straight during the sometimes-hard times growing up. Rest easy sir!
Rest In Peace Mr. Tom. I will always remember you at The Peninsula Boys Club at Hilton and Jefferson, in Newport News, Va. growing up, and spending many Saturdays, and many days after school in my youth. Thank you for all you did for the Boys Club and the Community.
Rest in eternal sweet peace Mr. Tom, I will never forget you or the club my home away from home growing up.
MrTom; you will be missed and loved by so many people, when I think of your life on earth the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life “ comes to mind. Try to imagine how different the lives of so many people would be if not for the influence of you being present in their lives and not knowing how different the community would be without your presence in it: The 🔔 bells were definitely ringing for you and it’s great to know you have your “WINGS” Mr Tom had many great sayings that he use to tell me but one of the best that I even have used most of my life telling other young people is “ you may never find what you want to do in life but you will find all the things you don’t want to do “ you touched more lives than you may ever know but I think you know how important you were to so many people; continue your mission in heaven with so many of your club kids who have been there waiting for you to arrive and rejoice with you!! We will miss you but we will never forget you!!!