Irving Tanner, age 94, of Secaucus, New Jersey passed into eternal rest on Saturday, July 23, 2022. He was born February 11, 1928 and raised in Brooklyn, NY, the son of Samuel and Mary Tanner. He started work when he was very small, sweeping his father’s shop, then progressing to stuffing shoulder pads at around 8 years old. He eventually took over his father’s shop and was the business owner and operator of Tanner Associates, a manufacturing company, for practically his whole life. He always loved animals and as a boy kept stray cats in the basement of his parents house and fed them cans of sardines. He went to public school in Brooklyn, and was the rich kid on the block because he had a nickel to buy a Pepsi. Never to take his good fortune for granted, when he was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he always replied, “a philanthropist”. He worked delivering fresh eggs. He worked as a surveyor all over Brooklyn and Manhattan. He worked creating reference model planes during WW 2 so the allied aircrafts could be recognized. He was an outstanding shot putter, an excellent hand ball player, and a champion Indian arm wrestler, but his favorite sport to play was golf. He loved to read. Most of all, he LOVED to dance. Which is how he met his beautiful wife Grace (Krause)Tanner and they worked as ballroom dance instructors. He was a loving and devoted father to his daughter, Meryl, and for many years would chauffeur cast members to and from theatre rehearsals whenever she was performing. He and his wife would drive up to see their daughter in summer stock every weekend 7 hours up, 7 hours home. He appeared in The Passion Play along with his son-in-law, at The Park Theatre, Union City, NJ for many seasons, his wife working backstage and his daughter directing - a real family affair. He considered himself a very lucky man having such a wonderful wife and daughter.
Irving is survived by his lovingly devoted daughter and caregiver of 15 years, Meryl Tanner-Hill and her husband Joshua, and extended family and friends. He was pre-deceased by his Brother & Sister.
A visitation for Irving will be held Friday, July 29, 2022 from 2 to 4 PM & 7 to 9 PM at Mack Memorial Home, 1245 Paterson Plank Road, Secaucus, NJ 07094. His eulogy and final farewell will take place Saturday morning, July 30, 2022 starting at 9:30 AM at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian burial will be offered immediately following at 10:45 AM at Immaculate Conception Church, Paterson Plank Rd, Secaucus, NJ followed by his committal at Holy Cross Cemetery, 340 Ridge Rd., North Arlington, NJ. All Family and Friends who would like to attend the services are asked to wear a facial covering and practice safe social distancing.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MackMemorialhome.com for the Tanner family.
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