Thomas W. Von Der Linn

Thomas William VonDerLinn, a resident of Danbury, CT for 25 years, died unexpectedly on May 21, 2015 at the age of 76. Born in Queens, NY on January 20, 1939, he raised his family in Brooklyn, NY and Mountainside, NJ with his wife, Jane. This year would have marked their 50th wedding anniversary.

A highly creative and skillful man, he seemed to embody the Reader’s Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual, one of the many books he helped to design during his career as an art director. Tom worked at Reader’s Digest for 30 years. The time he spent there gave him great joy, enabling Tom to practice his many artistic talents including graphic design, photography and illustration. He was a highly-awarded member of the Society of Illustrators.

Tom loved cars, jazz and classical music, design, travel, food and wine, coffee and above all, his family and friends. To know Tom was truly to love him. He was a man of lovely contradictions. Physically slow, yet possessing an incredibly quick wit. Pensive, yet the life of the party. Self-reliant, yet most joyful surrounded by and helping others - particularly his family.

He will be missed greatly by Jane, sons Peter and wife Donna of Rochester, NY, Michael and wife Christine, of Metuchen, NJ, brother James and wife Kathleen of Renton, WA, granddaughters Emma and Zoe, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Tom was predeceased by his sister Barbara.

A private interment will be held in early July in the family plot at Gates of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla, NY. It will be followed by a celebration-of-life reception for family and friends.

Donations in his memory can be made to the Arthritis National Research Foundation at www.curearthritis.org/donate