Thomas J. Selfridge, Retired Philadelphia Police Sergeant, Dies At 72

Thomas Joseph Selfridge, 72, died on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at Community Medical Center in Toms River after a short, valiant battle with lung cancer.

He was born and grew up in Philadelphia before moving to the Long Beach Island area about 35 years ago. Tom was extremely proud of his service as a Philadelphia police officer and made the rank of sergeant at 23. Later he worked as an x-ray technician at a number of area health facilities and as a mobile x-ray technician.

Tom lived in Manahawkin for many years before moving to Bayville in 1999.

Tom was a longtime friend of Bill W. and helped many, many people on their journey to recovery. He could be tough or tender, depending on the person he was helping. Most people who met Tom came away with a smile on their faces. He had a wicked sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. Anyone who met him will never forget him.

Some of Tom’s happiest memories were the summers his family spent in Ship Bottom. He loved fishing on the docks near his parents’ house as a little boy and became a Ship Bottom lifeguard when he was a teenager. He was a rabid Philadelphia Eagles fan, despite all the times the team let him down. He hated the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.

He leaves behind his fiancee and longtime companion, Patricia A. Miller of Bayville: his daughter Christine Rose and her husband Rob, of Holland, PA; his grand-daughter Mary Kate Leonard; his mother, Ann Selfridge, Ship Bottom; his brother Robert and his wife Margie of Manahawkin; his sisters Nan Kasitz and her husband, Huntington Valley, PA and Theresa Fleck and her husband Charles of Sickerville, New Jersey; his brother Ron of Florida and numerous nieces and nephews.

He also leaves behind a host of loving friends, who will miss him terribly.

He was predeceased by his father, Robert Selfridge and his wife Maryanne.

A visitation will be held at 9:45 a.m. on Jan. 8 at St. Andrews R.C. Church in Newton, PA, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Cremation will be private. A celebration of Tom’s life will be held on Long Beach Island for his friends within a few weeks.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Free to Breathe, a non-profit organization dedicated to doubling lung cancer survival by funding research with the greatest potential to save lives. Donations in memory of Thomas Selfridge may be sent to Free to Breathe at 1 Point Place, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53719 or online at freetobreathe.org.