Thomas L. van der Voort

Thomas Lounsbury van der Voort died suddenly of a heart attack at his home in Alexandria, Virginia, on the morning of February 3rd. He was five days short of his 81st birthday. Following his education at The Lawrenceville School (class of ’53), Princeton University (’57), and Harvard Law School (’60), Tom moved to Washington, D.C., and began a career in public service. From 1960 to 1963 he worked at the Public Health Service; from 1964 to 1974 he served as Legislative Assistant to Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin; he joined the Staff of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee in 1975, playing a variety of roles until he left the federal government in 1988. From 1989 to 1996 he was President of van der Voort Associates.

During a fulfilling 20-year retirement, Tom focused his substantial energies on collecting old time radio programs and stamps. His love of cinema led him to attend hundreds of movies every year.

Tom is survived by his wife of 55 years, Elizabeth Fleming van der Voort; his brother A. B. van der Voort; his children, Tom van der Voort Jr. (Joan Horn), Leah van der Voort MacFarlane (Brian MacFarlane), and Rachel van der Voort (Michael Cragg); and his grandchildren, Arrietta and Adelina van der Voort; Kathryn, Carolyn, and Zoë MacFarlane; and Reid, Jack, Kobe and Nina Cragg, all of whom will miss his wit, intelligence, warmth, and companionship.

A viewing will be held at the Demaine Funeral Home, 523 S. Washington St., on Thursday, February 11 from 6:00-8:00 PM, with a funeral Mass at St. Louis Catholic Church, 2907

Popkins Lane, on Friday, February 12 at 10:30 AM. Both locations are in Alexandria.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations payable to “Trustees of Princeton University”; memo: “Allocated to 1957 Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of Thomas L. van der Voort.”