Thomas Michelsen Whittemore died Friday May 29th at St. Peters Hospital in Albany, NY, from complications following kidney surgery. He was 73 years old and a resident of East Greenbush, NY.
Tom was born in Rye, NY, the son of Jane Schaefer of New York, NY, and Pittsburgh, PA, and Aubrey Whittemore of Rye. After his parents divorced, he was raised largely by his mother in New York and Phoenix, Arizona, with time spent on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where Jane’s family owned land and houses by West Bay in Osterville; there he spent many happy summers swimming, rowing, and sailing with his cousins.
Following Jane’s death in 1963, Tom lived with his father and stepmother in Rye, before attending boarding schools; he went on to study engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. After graduation from RPI he went to work as an engineer for Bendix Corporation in their aviation brakes division, where he worked until retiring in 2019.
These are the bare facts, but they don’t do justice to Tom’s kindness, wisdom and loyalty to family and friends. Tom was a long-time resident of East Greenbush and for forty-seven years a proud, enthusiastic and diligent member of the East Greenbush Volunteer Fire Company. From 1979 until his death, according to the Company, he served in many capacities, including Safety Officer, SCBA (breathing apparatus) expert, website manager, Fire Police Captain, and a founding member of their underwater rescue diving team. His favorite time of the month was the fire department’s fund raiser night where people from the town came for pizza or fish fry. He greeted everyone at the door and took their orders. The fire company was in many ways his family, but he was also close to his sister, Joanna, who died in 1998 and to her children, Kari Olson LaFleur, Mark Olson and Jerry Olson(deceased 2017).
Tom was a gifted, award-winning photographer who volunteered his superb talents to not only the Fire Company, but also to the Town of East Greenbush Hometown Hero program, working tirelessly supporting their veteran recognition program. He was also a dedicated wind-surfer and spent many years speeding through waves with a group of fellow wind-surfers at Cape Hatteras, NC and elsewhere. He leaves many family members, including members of the Schaefer and Foy families, and dear friends from the Fire Company. All saddened by his passing yet comforted by their warm memories of him.
Services will be private when family can be together. Internment will be with dear departed loved ones on Cape Cod.
For those who wish to honor Tom’s life and memory- donate , or give of your time, to the volunteer services and organizations in your community. Think of Tom when you enjoy the wind on fresh and salt waters. Live a life like Tom’s by staying curious and open to learning new things, give support to others in need , and treat all respectfully and with kindness.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/thomas-whittemore-obituary?id=61627092