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Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 from 4-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at 10AM Wednesday at the funeral home, then to Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
Tunis Ackershoek, age 84 of Wayne, died peacefully on Friday July 15, 2016. He had been a resident of Wayne since 1962.
Tunis Ackershoek was born on October 19, 1931 in Paterson, NJ. He was the youngest of 10 children. His siblings were Kryn, Margaret Ackershoek Todd, Trina Ackershoek Rhinesmith, Leonard, Nicholas, twins Edward & Matilda, Matilda Ackershoek Dunning, & Thomas.
Tunis Ackershoek grew up in the People’s Park section of Paterson. He attended School 16 and School 25 in Paterson. He then attended Paterson Tech and Vocational & Technical High School. He was later trained as a mechanic at the Lincoln Technical Institute. He eventually owned his own company, A&V Transmission of Clifton, and he retired after having worked as a mechanic for the County of Passaic.
Tunis had a love for all animals throughout his life - especially his pony and horse, cats, dogs, and birds. Growing up he used to take the bus from Paterson to Wayne to go horseback riding and fishing in Pompton Lakes. He was an avid fisherman. He is known for calling everyone “Harry” and his unique sense of humor.
Tunis served in the United States Marine Corp from April 1952 to April 1954. He attended basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. He was stationed at Cherry Point in North Carolina and assigned to an Air Wing. He was a Private First Class/Corporal in the 2nd wing. He was a mechanic on the F1F fighter and he inspected fighter jets every morning. One of the most remarkable stories he recalled was having helped rescue a pilot after a plane crash.
Tunis met his wife Nellie Vet in the People’s Park neighborhood of Paterson. His first date with Nellie was on December 28, 1954 when they went to the movies and then to Luciano’s Bar in Lodi. Their second date was a boat show, which should have been an early clue to Nellie that he had a deep love of boats and fishing!
Tunis married Nellie Vet on March 31, 1962 at the Reformed Church in Lodi followed by a reception at the Robin Hood Inn. They had eighty-five guests, of which thirty-eight were young children! They embarked on a ten day honeymoon to Bermuda, where they stayed at the Reef’s Hotel. His siblings always said “Nellie changed his life.”
On February 1, 1962 they purchased their first home in Wayne, and they lived there throughout their lifetimes. Together Tunis and Nellie had three children, William, Patricia, and Thomas. As a father, Tunis enjoyed roller skating every weekend, being an assistant Boy Scout master, and teaching his children his love of fishing and boating.
Tunis is well known in his family for making the Dutch traditional baked pastry called Butter Letter. Over the years he had watched Nellie make Butter Letter, and continued the tradition every Christmas. This was a tradition for his children, grandchildren and even nieces and their families to enjoy every year. He even started teaching his grandchildren to make it at Christmas, his way.
They also had eight grandchildren whom they enjoyed and loved very much. Grandchildren are Taylor, Amy, Thomas, Michael, Emily, Alyssa, William and Marissa. Each grandchild will always cherish their special memories with their grandfather.
Tunis and Nellie vacationed every summer with their children down the Jersey shore with family. They also enjoyed family road trips to NY State and Disney World. When their children were older, they started enjoying trips to Atlantic City and even annual cruises.
Sadly, his wife Nellie passed away in 2005. Tunis continued to travel with his family though. He vacationed to Cape Cod, Florida, Hawaii, Bahamas, North Carolina, South Carolina and even a two week road trip to Disney! Most recently he took a cruise by himself in October 2015 to the Caribbean with the Wayne Travel Club. He was never one to sit still for very long.
Miraculously, Tunis survived a terrible car accident in 2014 when he was 82 years old. He totaled his brand new Dodge truck but was able to walk away from the accident – an accident that would ironically prove to save his life. After the accident, and considering his advanced age, the hospital wanted to keep him for observation and run some tests. They discovered he needed a pacemaker and was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, which had spread to his brain. He underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor just weeks later. Four days after surgery, he was out fishing again! He was treated with chemotherapy and radiation and less than a year later he was in remission. This was all at 82 years old don’t forget. Needless to say, Tunis set a wonderful example of strength and perseverance for his family and they will all miss him dearly.
Tunis is survived by his three children; William and his wife Barbra, Patricia Contreras, and Tom; eight grandchildren, Taylor, Amy, Tommy, Michael, Emily, Alyssa, Billy and Marissa; as well as one sister-in-law Irma Ackershoek of Wayne; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Nellie (nee Vet) in 2005, and by all of his siblings; Margaret, Trina, Leonard, Nicholas, Kryn, Edward, Matilda and Thomas.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Wayne Animal Shelter, 210 Pompton Plains Crossroad, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be appreciated.
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 Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 from 4-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at 10AM Wednesday at the funeral home, then to Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 from 4-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at 10AM Wednesday at the funeral home, then to Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
Tunis Ackershoek, age 84 of Wayne, died peacefully on Friday July 15, 2016. He had been a resident of Wayne since 1962.
Tunis Ackershoek was born on October 19, 1931 in Paterson, NJ. He was the youngest of 10 children. His siblings were Kryn, Margaret Ackershoek Todd, Trina Ackershoek Rhinesmith, Leonard, Nicholas, twins Edward & Matilda, Matilda Ackershoek Dunning, & Thomas.
Tunis Ackershoek grew up in the People’s Park section of Paterson. He attended School 16 and School 25 in Paterson. He then attended Paterson Tech and Vocational & Technical High School. He was later trained as a mechanic at the Lincoln Technical Institute. He eventually owned his own company, A&V Transmission of Clifton, and he retired after having worked as a mechanic for the County of Passaic.
Tunis had a love for all animals throughout his life - especially his pony and horse, cats, dogs, and birds. Growing up he used to take the bus from Paterson to Wayne to go horseback riding and fishing in Pompton Lakes. He was an avid fisherman. He is known for calling everyone “Harry” and his unique sense of humor.
Tunis served in the United States Marine Corp from April 1952 to April 1954. He attended basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. He was stationed at Cherry Point in North Carolina and assigned to an Air Wing. He was a Private First Class/Corporal in the 2nd wing. He was a mechanic on the F1F fighter and he inspected fighter jets every morning. One of the most remarkable stories he recalled was having helped rescue a pilot after a plane crash.
Tunis met his wife Nellie Vet in the People’s Park neighborhood of Paterson. His first date with Nellie was on December 28, 1954 when they went to the movies and then to Luciano’s Bar in Lodi. Their second date was a boat show, which should have been an early clue to Nellie that he had a deep love of boats and fishing!
Tunis married Nellie Vet on March 31, 1962 at the Reformed Church in Lodi followed by a reception at the Robin Hood Inn. They had eighty-five guests, of which thirty-eight were young children! They embarked on a ten day honeymoon to Bermuda, where they stayed at the Reef’s Hotel. His siblings always said “Nellie changed his life.”
On February 1, 1962 they purchased their first home in Wayne, and they lived there throughout their lifetimes. Together Tunis and Nellie had three children, William, Patricia, and Thomas. As a father, Tunis enjoyed roller skating every weekend, being an assistant Boy Scout master, and teaching his children his love of fishing and boating.
Tunis is well known in his family for making the Dutch traditional baked pastry called Butter Letter. Over the years he had watched Nellie make Butter Letter, and continued the tradition every Christmas. This was a tradition for his children, grandchildren and even nieces and their families to enjoy every year. He even started teaching his grandchildren to make it at Christmas, his way.
They also had eight grandchildren whom they enjoyed and loved very much. Grandchildren are Taylor, Amy, Thomas, Michael, Emily, Alyssa, William and Marissa. Each grandchild will always cherish their special memories with their grandfather.
Tunis and Nellie vacationed every summer with their children down the Jersey shore with family. They also enjoyed family road trips to NY State and Disney World. When their children were older, they started enjoying trips to Atlantic City and even annual cruises.
Sadly, his wife Nellie passed away in 2005. Tunis continued to travel with his family though. He vacationed to Cape Cod, Florida, Hawaii, Bahamas, North Carolina, South Carolina and even a two week road trip to Disney! Most recently he took a cruise by himself in October 2015 to the Caribbean with the Wayne Travel Club. He was never one to sit still for very long.
Miraculously, Tunis survived a terrible car accident in 2014 when he was 82 years old. He totaled his brand new Dodge truck but was able to walk away from the accident – an accident that would ironically prove to save his life. After the accident, and considering his advanced age, the hospital wanted to keep him for observation and run some tests. They discovered he needed a pacemaker and was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, which had spread to his brain. He underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor just weeks later. Four days after surgery, he was out fishing again! He was treated with chemotherapy and radiation and less than a year later he was in remission. This was all at 82 years old don’t forget. Needless to say, Tunis set a wonderful example of strength and perseverance for his family and they will all miss him dearly.
Tunis is survived by his three children; William and his wife Barbra, Patricia Contreras, and Tom; eight grandchildren, Taylor, Amy, Tommy, Michael, Emily, Alyssa, Billy and Marissa; as well as one sister-in-law Irma Ackershoek of Wayne; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Nellie (nee Vet) in 2005, and by all of his siblings; Margaret, Trina, Leonard, Nicholas, Kryn, Edward, Matilda and Thomas.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Wayne Animal Shelter, 210 Pompton Plains Crossroad, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be appreciated.
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