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January 29, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, February 1, 2013 from 4-8 PM. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 2, 2013, 9:30 AM at Our Lady of the Magnificat Roman Catholic Church, 2 Miller Road, Kinnelon. Please meet directly at the church. Interment will follow at Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Thomas J. Hofbauer, age 79, died peacefully on Tuesday, January 29, 2013. He was a resident of Wayne for forty years, and currently a resident of Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Tommy was raised in East Orange, the second of six children of John and Katherine Hofbauer. As a child, Tommy was a mischievous one and it was said that he gave his mother gray hair in her twenties! One summer day, Tommy decided he wanted ice cream from a passing ice cream vendor. Donning his roller skates, he jumped on the back of the moving ice cream truck. All was fine until he fell back and got his roller skate hooked on the bumper of the truck which dragged him for about a mile. After spending a week in a coma Tommy eventually recovered to experience more tales of adventure—enough tales to prove Tommy had nine lives.
In school, Tommy left his mother no opportunity to regain the natural color of her hair. Once, when he was grounded by his parents in high school, he and his sister, Ann Marie, contrived to switch beds so that when his father came to check on him, he would think that Tommy was dutifully complying with his parents’ wish instead of maintaining his social life. Tommy also made his mark on Holy Name Grammar School—literally. In addition to carving his initials in the glass of the school main door, his other schemes landed him in so much trouble that his parish priest later sighed, “I thought he’d end up in jail!”
But in addition to his practical jokes, Tommy’s golden heart was active in him at an early age. One time, his sister’s pet dog was hit by a car, and their parents could not pay the vet bill to set the dog’s leg. Tommy used his caddying money to pay the bill himself. Perhaps, too, we can see in this incident the subsequent and rather humorous affection for his little dog “Angel.”
Tommy served as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. As a young Cadet he quickly displayed his leadership skills and was consequently put in charge of his class. Because of his deep faith in God, instilled in him by his parents, Tommy was also named chapel officer of his fellow cadets.
In 1955, Tommy was introduced to the love of his life, Margaret “Margot” Browne, by his younger sister. Tommy fell for her at first sight but he couldn’t ask her out, because he already had a blind date for the upcoming dance at the Glen Ridge Country Club. Tommy was a quick thinker and he set his friend Jim Scala up with Margot to be sure she was at the dance. The plan worked; Tommy never met his intended blind date that night and instead danced the entire evening with Margot. They were married on June 7, 1958 and after a honeymoon in Bermuda, they settled in a little apartment in Montclair, which Margot decorated exquisitely. They moved to Wayne in 1960, where they raised their four children and have enjoyed fifty-four wonderful years together. During the last twelve years they have called Fort Lauderdale their home and spent summers at Long Beach Island.
Tommy received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Newark College of Engineering. Following the beginning of his career with National Tape Corporation he soon took a position with Bell Labs where his inventive gifts were quickly recognized and many of his inventions and processes are still employed by Bell Labs today. Eventually, Tommy started his own magnetic tape manufacturing company, which he called Livingston Audio Products. As the company’s leader he invented a machine that massed produced 8-tracks. The machine became known as the “Sidewinder,” and the technology was later applied to cassette and VHS tape also. After his time at Livingston Audio, Tommy formed another company called Magnetic Marketing Corporation, where he represented large tape manufacturers and continued to promote and sell the Sidewinder. Always looking for new opportunities, Tommy left Magnetic Marketing to join Sony Corporation as a sales executive of major accounts.
Tommy’s work life took a different direction after retirement from Sony. He founded a non-profit organization, called Save Our Community (SOC), to preserve land and associated wildlife in Long Beach Island. Through his leadership, SOC was successful in preserving hundreds of acres of land for wildlife in LBI.
Tommy’s passion for inventing never ended, and he continued to work on his inventions, even to his last days. Currently, he has several patents still pending.
As a man, Tommy’s life could be summed up with one word – Love! Anyone who knew him would describe him as an extremely loving man who demonstrated that love through his kind, gentle, patient supportive actions. His faith in God was instilled in him already as a young man and, no doubt, that faith taught him the virtues that helped to make Tommy the loving man that he was. Faith and family were the most important realities in Tommy’s life. Recently, he and his beloved wife Margot completed a forty day seminar that culminated with their Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Tommy also had a great sense of humor. It was corny but never-the-less endearing. Since Tommy had a reputation for being chronically late, he used to quip that he wanted the epitaph on his gravestone to read “The late Tommy Hofbauer.” Despite the intensity that he displayed with his inventions, Tommy also lived by the philosophy that one should take time to smell the roses and enjoy the process of taking the road less traveled.
Tommy is survived by his four children: Thomas Jr (Tucker) of Parsippany, Peter and his wife Denise of Kinnelon, William (Billy) and his wife Denise of Parsippany, and Maggie Killackey of Wayne; his sisters, Joan McLaughlin, Ann Marie and her husband Joseph Sheehan, and Mary and her husband Steve Safka; his brother Jack and his wife Mary; and eight grandchildren; Tara and Max Hofbauer of Kinnelon, Rachel and Billy Hofbauer of Wayne, and John, Brian, Margaux and Tommy Killackey of Wayne.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife Margaret “Margot” just this past September, 2012.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, 7880 West Denton Road, Box 147, Denton, NE 68339, where Tommy’s grandson is currently a seminarian, or Missionary Servants of the Poor of the Third World, P.O. Box 907 Cuzco, Peru, where another grandson is serving.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, February 1, 2013 from 4-8 PM. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 2, 2013, 9:30 AM at Our Lady of the Magnificat Roman Catholic Church, 2 Miller Road, Kinnelon. Please meet directly at the church. Interment will follow at Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
January 29, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, February 1, 2013 from 4-8 PM. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 2, 2013, 9:30 AM at Our Lady of the Magnificat Roman Catholic Church, 2 Miller Road, Kinnelon. Please meet directly at the church. Interment will follow at Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Thomas J. Hofbauer, age 79, died peacefully on Tuesday, January 29, 2013. He was a resident of Wayne for forty years, and currently a resident of Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Tommy was raised in East Orange, the second of six children of John and Katherine Hofbauer. As a child, Tommy was a mischievous one and it was said that he gave his mother gray hair in her twenties! One summer day, Tommy decided he wanted ice cream from a passing ice cream vendor. Donning his roller skates, he jumped on the back of the moving ice cream truck. All was fine until he fell back and got his roller skate hooked on the bumper of the truck which dragged him for about a mile. After spending a week in a coma Tommy eventually recovered to experience more tales of adventure—enough tales to prove Tommy had nine lives.
In school, Tommy left his mother no opportunity to regain the natural color of her hair. Once, when he was grounded by his parents in high school, he and his sister, Ann Marie, contrived to switch beds so that when his father came to check on him, he would think that Tommy was dutifully complying with his parents’ wish instead of maintaining his social life. Tommy also made his mark on Holy Name Grammar School—literally. In addition to carving his initials in the glass of the school main door, his other schemes landed him in so much trouble that his parish priest later sighed, “I thought he’d end up in jail!”
But in addition to his practical jokes, Tommy’s golden heart was active in him at an early age. One time, his sister’s pet dog was hit by a car, and their parents could not pay the vet bill to set the dog’s leg. Tommy used his caddying money to pay the bill himself. Perhaps, too, we can see in this incident the subsequent and rather humorous affection for his little dog “Angel.”
Tommy served as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. As a young Cadet he quickly displayed his leadership skills and was consequently put in charge of his class. Because of his deep faith in God, instilled in him by his parents, Tommy was also named chapel officer of his fellow cadets.
In 1955, Tommy was introduced to the love of his life, Margaret “Margot” Browne, by his younger sister. Tommy fell for her at first sight but he couldn’t ask her out, because he already had a blind date for the upcoming dance at the Glen Ridge Country Club. Tommy was a quick thinker and he set his friend Jim Scala up with Margot to be sure she was at the dance. The plan worked; Tommy never met his intended blind date that night and instead danced the entire evening with Margot. They were married on June 7, 1958 and after a honeymoon in Bermuda, they settled in a little apartment in Montclair, which Margot decorated exquisitely. They moved to Wayne in 1960, where they raised their four children and have enjoyed fifty-four wonderful years together. During the last twelve years they have called Fort Lauderdale their home and spent summers at Long Beach Island.
Tommy received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Newark College of Engineering. Following the beginning of his career with National Tape Corporation he soon took a position with Bell Labs where his inventive gifts were quickly recognized and many of his inventions and processes are still employed by Bell Labs today. Eventually, Tommy started his own magnetic tape manufacturing company, which he called Livingston Audio Products. As the company’s leader he invented a machine that massed produced 8-tracks. The machine became known as the “Sidewinder,” and the technology was later applied to cassette and VHS tape also. After his time at Livingston Audio, Tommy formed another company called Magnetic Marketing Corporation, where he represented large tape manufacturers and continued to promote and sell the Sidewinder. Always looking for new opportunities, Tommy left Magnetic Marketing to join Sony Corporation as a sales executive of major accounts.
Tommy’s work life took a different direction after retirement from Sony. He founded a non-profit organization, called Save Our Community (SOC), to preserve land and associated wildlife in Long Beach Island. Through his leadership, SOC was successful in preserving hundreds of acres of land for wildlife in LBI.
Tommy’s passion for inventing never ended, and he continued to work on his inventions, even to his last days. Currently, he has several patents still pending.
As a man, Tommy’s life could be summed up with one word – Love! Anyone who knew him would describe him as an extremely loving man who demonstrated that love through his kind, gentle, patient supportive actions. His faith in God was instilled in him already as a young man and, no doubt, that faith taught him the virtues that helped to make Tommy the loving man that he was. Faith and family were the most important realities in Tommy’s life. Recently, he and his beloved wife Margot completed a forty day seminar that culminated with their Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Tommy also had a great sense of humor. It was corny but never-the-less endearing. Since Tommy had a reputation for being chronically late, he used to quip that he wanted the epitaph on his gravestone to read “The late Tommy Hofbauer.” Despite the intensity that he displayed with his inventions, Tommy also lived by the philosophy that one should take time to smell the roses and enjoy the process of taking the road less traveled.
Tommy is survived by his four children: Thomas Jr (Tucker) of Parsippany, Peter and his wife Denise of Kinnelon, William (Billy) and his wife Denise of Parsippany, and Maggie Killackey of Wayne; his sisters, Joan McLaughlin, Ann Marie and her husband Joseph Sheehan, and Mary and her husband Steve Safka; his brother Jack and his wife Mary; and eight grandchildren; Tara and Max Hofbauer of Kinnelon, Rachel and Billy Hofbauer of Wayne, and John, Brian, Margaux and Tommy Killackey of Wayne.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife Margaret “Margot” just this past September, 2012.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, 7880 West Denton Road, Box 147, Denton, NE 68339, where Tommy’s grandson is currently a seminarian, or Missionary Servants of the Poor of the Third World, P.O. Box 907 Cuzco, Peru, where another grandson is serving.
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