Hawthorne's Thomas Carey dead at 87

Thomas F. Carey, the third generation of the Carey family to take the reins of Hawthorne Race Course, died on Tuesday in Florida, according to the track. Carey was 87.

A star quarterback at Notre Dame during his collegiate studies, Thomas F. Carey took the reins at Hawthorne in 1980 after his father, Robert F. Carey, died. He served as the president and general manager of the track for 25 years, after 11 years as his father’s assistant.

In 1978, while Thomas was serving as the assistant to his father, Hawthorne burned to the ground, the work of suspected arsonists. Thomas took a lead role in securing the financing to rebuild the track, which reopened in early 1980. Robert Carey, who succeeded his own father as the president of the track, died later that year at the age of 80.

A member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, Thomas F. Carey starred at Notre Dame after being named an All-State quarterback at Mt. Carmel High School. Following his college career, while earning a law degree from Northwestern University, he coached his high school alma mater’s football team to four sectional titles, a city championship, and a co-city championship.

Carey played a role in the founding of the Racing Industry Charitable Foundation, and served as the organization’s president for several years. The foundation provides medical and social services to backstretch workers in Illinois.

Carey is survived by his wife, Susan, and six children, according to Hawthorne.