Thomas L. Cambria Of Manahawkin Dies At 83

Courtesy of Thos. L. Shinn Funeral Home:

Thomas Louis Cambria, 83, of Manahawkin, formerly of Montclair, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 28 at Southern Ocean Medical Center after an illness.

Born on Feb. 25, 1931, Mr. Cambria graduated from Weehawken High School in 1949 with the distinction of being voted “most reliable” by his classmates. He married his high school sweetheart, Judith Coffin Cambria, on Valentine’s Day 1952, and the two embarked on an adventure that could only be provided by the U.S. Navy, setting up residences on or near Naval bases in Chincoteague, Va. and a then very salty Key West, Fla.

After the Navy, the couple settled in Montclair, and Mr. Cambria used the G.I. bill to earn a degree in business at Rutgers University, Newark in 1958 while simultaneously driving a beer delivery truck on the midnight shift for Pabst Blue Ribbon. He went on to be an executive with RCA and General Electric in Information Management Systems for nearly 30 years.

Upon retirement the couple built a home in the family’s beloved vacation town of Barnegat Light, where he served briefly on the borough council organizing town finances and also volunteered for many years as a fire policeman with the Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Company. They traveled to places around the world, and viewed Puerto Vallarta, Mexico as their winter home.

Those who knew our beloved Tom, even briefly, adored him. He was always friendly and polite and never had a cross word for anyone. He took joy in other people’s successes and lived by a code of honesty and friendliness.

Surviving is his wife of 63 years, Judith; a sister, Annamarie Fletcher of Toms River, two sons, Thomas Dean Cambria of Pine Brook and Richard Cambria of Manahawkin; a daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Cambria and Jeremy Kohler of St. Louis; and three grandchildren, Christopher Chase Cambria, Samuel Kohler and Harris Kohler.

Memorial Service from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at Thos. L. Shinn Funeral Home, 10 Hilliard Drive, Manahawkin. Cremation will be private. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, 10th and N. Central Ave., Barnegat Light, NJ 08006.