Obituary for Thomas Joseph Mendro
Brunswick - Thomas J. Mendro, 89, was born into eternal life on January 10, 2021. Tom was born June 21, 1931, in Watervliet, NY to the late Thomas E. and Ida (Corbett) Mendro.
After graduating from the Christian Brothers Academy in 1948, Tom worked at the Albany Felt Company before serving as a Gunner’s Mate Second Class in the United States Navy Reserves. For the rest of his life, Tom frequently recounted stories from his military service aboard the U.S.S. Wasp, sharing details of travels from San Francisco to India and beyond but always making a point to say Navy food was terrible. After receiving an honorable discharge from the United States Navy in 1955, Tom returned to Watervliet to begin a career with the New York Telephone Company that spanned 4 decades.
In 1959, Tom married the love of his life Margaret “Margie” Kehn. During their 60 years together, Tom and Marge enjoyed a quiet life at the homes he designed and built himself on Snyder’s Lake and later in Brunswick with their beloved dogs, Curle and Muffin. In his retirement, Tom relished the opportunity to explore his many talents: he was an artist, self-taught musician, woodcarver, and model plane enthusiast, among many other things. Despite his many pursuits, Margie was always his priority, and he remained her devoted husband until her death in April 2018.
Tom is survived by his sister, Carole Crall; his nephews, Kevin (Tracey) Smith, Michael (Andrea) Crall, and Sean (Sandra) Crall; his great-nephews and nieces Jonathan (Dana Cardona), Jessica (Jeffrey Orvis), Ryan (Alison), Matthew (Elizabeth Hill), Katelyn, and Thomas Crall; and his cousins Greta, Edward (Nicole), Ann Nano, Kieran, Charlotte & Emma McNamara ; Fredrick (Pamela) Wobrock Sr., Fredrick Wobrock, Jr., and Kristen (Michael DeBrino), Griffin, & Ava Kuhn. In addition to his parents and his wife, Tom was predeceased by his parents-in-law, Joseph and Margaret Kehn, his sister, Patricia Smith, and his brothers-in-law, George Crall and William Smith.
Tom’s life will be celebrated at a Mass at 9:30 am on Saturday, January 16th at St. Pius X Church in Loudonville, NY followed by interment at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands. Those attending the funeral Mass are requested to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of the Mass and enter the church through the front doors only. Church ambassadors will be available to assist with seating and facemasks and social distancing will be required.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Avenue, Menands, NY 12204.
After graduating from the Christian Brothers Academy in 1948, Tom worked at the Albany Felt Company before serving as a Gunner’s Mate Second Class in the United States Navy Reserves. For the rest of his life, Tom frequently recounted stories from his military service aboard the U.S.S. Wasp, sharing details of travels from San Francisco to India and beyond but always making a point to say Navy food was terrible. After receiving an honorable discharge from the United States Navy in 1955, Tom returned to Watervliet to begin a career with the New York Telephone Company that spanned 4 decades.
In 1959, Tom married the love of his life Margaret “Margie” Kehn. During their 60 years together, Tom and Marge enjoyed a quiet life at the homes he designed and built himself on Snyder’s Lake and later in Brunswick with their beloved dogs, Curle and Muffin. In his retirement, Tom relished the opportunity to explore his many talents: he was an artist, self-taught musician, woodcarver, and model plane enthusiast, among many other things. Despite his many pursuits, Margie was always his priority, and he remained her devoted husband until her death in April 2018.
Tom is survived by his sister, Carole Crall; his nephews, Kevin (Tracey) Smith, Michael (Andrea) Crall, and Sean (Sandra) Crall; his great-nephews and nieces Jonathan (Dana Cardona), Jessica (Jeffrey Orvis), Ryan (Alison), Matthew (Elizabeth Hill), Katelyn, and Thomas Crall; and his cousins Greta, Edward (Nicole), Ann Nano, Kieran, Charlotte & Emma McNamara ; Fredrick (Pamela) Wobrock Sr., Fredrick Wobrock, Jr., and Kristen (Michael DeBrino), Griffin, & Ava Kuhn. In addition to his parents and his wife, Tom was predeceased by his parents-in-law, Joseph and Margaret Kehn, his sister, Patricia Smith, and his brothers-in-law, George Crall and William Smith.
Tom’s life will be celebrated at a Mass at 9:30 am on Saturday, January 16th at St. Pius X Church in Loudonville, NY followed by interment at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands. Those attending the funeral Mass are requested to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of the Mass and enter the church through the front doors only. Church ambassadors will be available to assist with seating and facemasks and social distancing will be required.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Avenue, Menands, NY 12204.