Thomas Marris

He was defined by his exacting nature. Tom was an artist with an AutoCad doing pipe design, a career that spanned from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, area businesses and even a year in Japan. Once while taking a class to better his Cad skills, they decided it would be easier to just have Tom teach the class. His handwriting displayed the same precision: tough to tell if he had written something or if it was done by a computer. When he made a sandwich, it looked like it was plucked from a magazine. Of course, he was always a great cook: Tom could cater an event as large as a wedding with little effort. As a dad, he tried to be strict, but it never quite worked out: he caved all the time, even giving his girls rides to wherever they wanted to go. Grumpy Old Men was a template for his demeanor, but his grouchy nature was just a façade: Tom loved intensely and knew no limits when it came to his family. His sense of humor was warped and genetics being what they are, his kids inherited it: they could do spot on impressions of him. If his T.V. was on, he’d be tuning into Fox News; thrilled that 45 will be 47. He claimed he didn’t like animals, but again that wasn’t exactly true. His cat (best friend) followed him home from Texas, his grand cat had a special place in his heart and his dog (just called dog) got his affections from time to time. Tom was the DJ at dialysis, playing tunes for nurses and other patients when he wasn’t distributing candy. Casual all the time, he lived in pocket T’s, shorts and sweats and was usually heading off for a fancy meal at Burger King: Wopper Jr. or whatever he had a coupon for. He drew a Budweiser logo in his pool that could be seen from space and could duplicate just about any cartoon, though his greatest artistry came when he cursed a blue streak in traffic. He could take a few decades off from pool and then run a few racks when he returned to the table. He was snarky, but in a funny way, did karate back in the day, and had a nickname for everyone.

He’d meet a pretty girl named Brenda and share a marriage blessed by daughters, Laura (Joe Benningfiled) Marris, Nicole (Alec) Cafone and Qui AKA Corinda Lucano, who might as well have been his daughter. He is survived by his brother, Bill (Diane) Marris, his sister, Linda (Mike) Lallo, his mother, Anita and his best friend and “brotha”, Ari Azcuidiaz.

Come celebrate 63 great years Saturday 1 to 3 p.m. at Sweeney Funeral Home, 478 Cooper Street, Beverly where there will be a 3 p.m. service. As a favor to Tom and at his family’s request, please dress casually and confortably as “no one likes to wear monkey suits.” Donations in lieu of flowers to Edgwater Park Elks, Lodge 2550, attaention Veteran’s Committee,  315 Green Street, Edgewater Park NJ 08010.