Obituary of Joseph Toma
Joseph R. Toma
Warren: Joseph R. Toma, age 91, passed away on Sunday October 14, 2018 at his home in Warren, NJ. Expert businessmen and entrepreneur, adoring husband, father, Pop-Pop (and Great Pop-Pop), and trustworthy pillar of the community.
Born in Franklin, NJ, Mr. Toma raised his family in Colonia and resided in Warren for the past ten years.
Mr. Toma proudly served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II, enlisting at the age of 17. After serving his country, Mr. Toma earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Seton Hall University in South Orange. He remained a loyal supporter of the university throughout his life.
He began his career at Equitable Insurance Company in New York City where he met the love of his life, Helen M. Scanlon. After a brief but enviable long distance romance the two were married in 1950 and traveled the world together until her passing in 2012.
In 1960, Mr. and Mrs. Toma founded Astrolab Incorporated, an innovative manufacturing and design company specializing in microwave components for military, space, and commercial applications. He ran the company with his family until retiring in 1997.
He was a proud parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Bernardsville for over 30 years.
Mr. Toma was extraordinarily hard working and generous. He devoted his life to his family and was unforgettable to everyone he met.
He enjoyed fishing, loved negotiating a good deal, had a passion for great food, but most of all loved spending time with his family, especially his grand children and great grandchildren.
Joseph was predeceased by his beloved wife Helen in 2012. He is survived by his four loving children Veronica DeBruin and her husband John, Judy Toma, Mary Toma-Ceres and her husband Mark, and Stephen Toma and his wife Laura; two sisters, Eleanor Lawrence and Marion Kanka; six grandchildren, Michelle Steinglass and her husband Aaron, Jennifer DiBella and her husband Michael, Kimberly Ceres-Hinz and her husband Patrick, Kristina Ceres, Elisabeth and Juliet Toma. He is also survived by four great grandchildren Althea, Isaiah, Leo, and Ronan.
The visitation will be held on Thursday October 18, 2018 at Higgins Home for Funeral, 752 Mountain Blvd. Watchung NJ 07069 from 4:00pm-8:00pm. The funeral mass will be held at 10:00am Friday October 19, 2018 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Bernardsville NJ. The interment will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery in Basking Ridge.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, 57 West 57th Street, Suite 904, New York, NY 10019.
Please visit www.higginsfuenralhome.com to send condolences.
