Thomas Mirande

Thomas Mirande died on Saturday, August 18, 2018.The year was 1912. As the Titanic sank, other ocean liners made it to North America with Dad's future parents onboard. Maria Jonsson arrived in New Jersey from Gothenburg, Sweden while Tommaso Mirande came from Naples, Italy. What they had in common was a hard-work ethic and the common need to learn a new language. Similar to Upstairs Downstairs they were employed by wealthy households in Summit NJ, she as a domestic servant, he as a landscaper. With their heavy accents they communicated well enough with each other and fell in love while learning English. They married, built a humble stucco house and started a family. Tommaso grew his landscaping business, paid off his house and was beset with health issues, but not before they had four lovely daughters, then finally a son Tom. Unfortunately, Tom's father Tommaso passed on when he was an infant and was raised by five gentle woman who all called him "Sonny."To say Sonny had a happy childhood is an understatement as he was indulged by the five ladies of the house who treated him like a prince. Not being the best of eaters, his mother always had Swedish meat balls as a backup plan for meals. He was in charge of gathering eggs and once a week pluck'n the dinner chicken. He channeled the father he never knew by frequenting the woods and learned about trees, bugs, plants and animals from his buddy's father Mr. Andy who treated him like a second son. Sonny entered the Navy during WWII, spent 2 years in Panama guarding the canal followed by a tour of the Mediterranean in the engine room of the battleship North Carolina. It was here that he learned his trade of working with machinery, which led him to post-war schooling for diesel engine repairs.Once out of the service, he got a good job as a machinist but it was during his leisure time where he took up the popular sport of speed skating and worked part time as a guard with one of those authoritative whistles to keep folks in line at the Florham Park roller rink. Here he encountered the Holl Sisters skating team of Eileen, Ann, Rose and Dot where he found himself clearing the way for them to work in perfect unison. He recognized them as the local sister act that made the front cover of the Sunday Parade magazine. He had his eye on Dot, the youngest, from the start. Dot added Tom to her "dating" list but eventually made him her steady. Tom married his sweetheart in 1951 and shortly after that had yet another Tom, followed by Steve, Dave and Rich. It was a physical crew of boys that would jump all over him as he came home from work, ambushed him when he had the peanut butter jar near the TV and attacked him on Sunday mornings as they used the bed and his belly as a trampoline. He was a dedicated father shuffling his crew from Boy Scouts, Little League, football-soccer-wrestling-track-baseball practice and games, school events, and beach vacations down the shore. He was active in telling jokes and could "cut a rug" with Dot, yet still make himself the butt-of-the-joke by performing the "deep apple" or the "funky chicken." Fun was had by all as he made the rounds at the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Loyal Order of the Moose, The Elks, Beachwood Swim Club, Video Park Clambakes, Keasby Outboard Motorboat Club, St. Cecelia's Fair and the shore house that he built with his family (in of all places) Tom's River, NJ. At this house he set up retirement for himself and Dot, "his little flower." He will be missed dearly by his crew of boys, their wives and the junior crew of seven. Family and friends are invited to call on Thursday, from 7:00 until 9:00 pm at the James J. Dougherty Funeral Home, Inc., 2200 Trenton Road, Levittown, where his funeral service will be held at 8:30 pm. A graveside service will be held at 9:30 am, on Friday, August 24, 2018, at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown. There will be no calling hours on Friday morningFamily and friends are invited to call on Thursday, August 23, 2018,  from 7:00 until 9:00 pm at the James J. Dougherty Funeral Home, Inc., 2200 Trenton Road, Levittown, where his funeral service will be held at 8:30 pm.  Graveside services will be held on Friday, August 24, 2018 at 9:30 am at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown.  There will be no calling hours on Friday morning.