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April 24, 2018
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8PM on Thursday April 26, 2018 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd., Wayne. A funeral service will be held 10AM on Friday April 27 at the funeral home.
Interment will be in First Reformed Church Cemetery, Pequannock, NJ.
Thomas Tennesen, age 80, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday April 24, 2018 in the presence of, and while receiving the loving care of his family.
Tom was born and raised in Bloomfield to Trygve and Alphild Tennesen. He was the only son of their four children. Subsequent to graduating from Bloomfield High School with the class of 1955 he went to work at Scientific Glass in Bloomfield. He was only working for Scientific Glass for a short time when he decided to enlist in the United States Army. Tom served from 1955 to 1957, and then spent another four years in the Army Reserves. After being honorably discharged, Tom went back to work for Scientific Glass, who reserved his position while he served his country. Tom started working in the warehouse at Scientific Glass, and eventually over his twenty-nine year career, worked his way up to Sales Manager. He would be forced to find a new job after Scientific Glass closed in 1983. This wouldn’t take long, and Tom earned a position again as a salesman at Kimble and Contes Glass based in Vineland, NJ. He would work for Kimble and Contes for the next 25 years until his retirement in 2008.
Even before graduating High School, Tom was putting in an honest day’s work. He worked at WT Grant Department Store in Bloomfield when he was only sixteen. While working there, he mustered up the courage to ask one of his co-workers, a young beauty named Margaret Pizzuti, out to the movies. Margaret and Tom dated from 1954 till 1957 and as fate would have it, they fell in love and were married on November 30, 1957 shortly after Tom was honorably discharged from the Army. They were married in Immaculate Conception RC Church in Montclair and honeymooned in the Poconos Lodge in Pennsylvania. Tom and Margaret settled in Clifton after getting married and lived there for about four years until moving to Wayne in 1961. They would call Wayne their home and would spend the rest of their lives together there. Thomas and Margaret cherished just over sixty years of loving and loyal marriage together.
Tom and Margaret were members of the Passaic County Committee of Wayne. He was also a past president of the PTA for Ryerson School in Wayne. Margaret and Tom were both avid bowlers and were members of a Wednesday night league at the Wayne T-Bowl for many years. Tom enjoyed golfing and occasional hunting . He was a “Jack of All Trades” and was able to fix just about anything. He also earned a certification in TV Repair many years ago as a young man. He and his family vacationed regularly every summer in Lake George where they would go camping and boating. Tom loved the water and taught all his children how to water ski. When not vacationing, many weekends were spent on the water at Greenwood Lake with family and friends. After retiring, Tom would often help his sons with their business and assist them at trade shows. The salesman in him never left, and he truly enjoyed speaking and interacting with people. He was funny and a pleasure to be with. He was the kind of person you couldn’t help but enjoy being around. Apart from all of Tom's interests, hobbies and talents, his greatest passion was for his family. He was always there for his children and grandchildren and nothing brought him more joy than providing for and spending time with his family. He was a sincerely devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of many people and will be sorely missed by his family and friends alike.
Thomas is survived by his wife Margaret (nee Pizzuti), three sons; Thomas and his wife Joan of Pequannock, David and his wife Patricia of Wayne, and Robert and his wife Ronnie of Pompton Plains, one daughter, Diana Anderson of West Milford, one sister Helen Tennesen of Bloomfield, and twelve grandchildren; Thea Rose, Diandra, Garrett, Spencer, Yvette, Jamie, Conner, Jessica, Cassidy, Jimi, John, and Laura. He was predeceased by his two sisters Elsie Mueller and Evelyn Peters.
In lieu of flowers, those planning to make a donation in Tom's name are asked to consider Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 425 Eagle Rock Ave, Suite 203, Roseland, NJ 07068.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8PM on Thursday April 26, 2018 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd., Wayne. A funeral service will be held 10AM on Friday April 27 at the funeral home.
Interment will be in First Reformed Church Cemetery, Pequannock, NJ.
April 24, 2018
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8PM on Thursday April 26, 2018 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd., Wayne. A funeral service will be held 10AM on Friday April 27 at the funeral home.
Interment will be in First Reformed Church Cemetery, Pequannock, NJ.
Thomas Tennesen, age 80, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday April 24, 2018 in the presence of, and while receiving the loving care of his family.
Tom was born and raised in Bloomfield to Trygve and Alphild Tennesen. He was the only son of their four children. Subsequent to graduating from Bloomfield High School with the class of 1955 he went to work at Scientific Glass in Bloomfield. He was only working for Scientific Glass for a short time when he decided to enlist in the United States Army. Tom served from 1955 to 1957, and then spent another four years in the Army Reserves. After being honorably discharged, Tom went back to work for Scientific Glass, who reserved his position while he served his country. Tom started working in the warehouse at Scientific Glass, and eventually over his twenty-nine year career, worked his way up to Sales Manager. He would be forced to find a new job after Scientific Glass closed in 1983. This wouldn’t take long, and Tom earned a position again as a salesman at Kimble and Contes Glass based in Vineland, NJ. He would work for Kimble and Contes for the next 25 years until his retirement in 2008.
Even before graduating High School, Tom was putting in an honest day’s work. He worked at WT Grant Department Store in Bloomfield when he was only sixteen. While working there, he mustered up the courage to ask one of his co-workers, a young beauty named Margaret Pizzuti, out to the movies. Margaret and Tom dated from 1954 till 1957 and as fate would have it, they fell in love and were married on November 30, 1957 shortly after Tom was honorably discharged from the Army. They were married in Immaculate Conception RC Church in Montclair and honeymooned in the Poconos Lodge in Pennsylvania. Tom and Margaret settled in Clifton after getting married and lived there for about four years until moving to Wayne in 1961. They would call Wayne their home and would spend the rest of their lives together there. Thomas and Margaret cherished just over sixty years of loving and loyal marriage together.
Tom and Margaret were members of the Passaic County Committee of Wayne. He was also a past president of the PTA for Ryerson School in Wayne. Margaret and Tom were both avid bowlers and were members of a Wednesday night league at the Wayne T-Bowl for many years. Tom enjoyed golfing and occasional hunting . He was a “Jack of All Trades” and was able to fix just about anything. He also earned a certification in TV Repair many years ago as a young man. He and his family vacationed regularly every summer in Lake George where they would go camping and boating. Tom loved the water and taught all his children how to water ski. When not vacationing, many weekends were spent on the water at Greenwood Lake with family and friends. After retiring, Tom would often help his sons with their business and assist them at trade shows. The salesman in him never left, and he truly enjoyed speaking and interacting with people. He was funny and a pleasure to be with. He was the kind of person you couldn’t help but enjoy being around. Apart from all of Tom's interests, hobbies and talents, his greatest passion was for his family. He was always there for his children and grandchildren and nothing brought him more joy than providing for and spending time with his family. He was a sincerely devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of many people and will be sorely missed by his family and friends alike.
Thomas is survived by his wife Margaret (nee Pizzuti), three sons; Thomas and his wife Joan of Pequannock, David and his wife Patricia of Wayne, and Robert and his wife Ronnie of Pompton Plains, one daughter, Diana Anderson of West Milford, one sister Helen Tennesen of Bloomfield, and twelve grandchildren; Thea Rose, Diandra, Garrett, Spencer, Yvette, Jamie, Conner, Jessica, Cassidy, Jimi, John, and Laura. He was predeceased by his two sisters Elsie Mueller and Evelyn Peters.
In lieu of flowers, those planning to make a donation in Tom's name are asked to consider Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 425 Eagle Rock Ave, Suite 203, Roseland, NJ 07068.
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