Thomas Joseph Colven, Jr.

Surrounded by his family, Thomas J. Colven, Jr., passed peacefully on November 6 after suffering a rapid decline in health due to advanced dementia.  Tom was born on February 10, 1928 in New York, NY, to Thomas J. Colven and Hilda Mitchell.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 50 years, Margaret, and his younger brother, Richard.  He is survived by his 4 sons and their wives, Thomas III and Jan Colven of Dallas Texas, John and Irma Colven of Kennett Square, PA, Bill and Claudia Colven of Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Richard and Mary Colven of Huntersville, NC.  Known as Grandpop, he was especially proud of his 11 grandchildren, Tom IV, Laura, Lindsey, John, Patrick, Preston, Michael, Arrianna, Drew, Alexandra, and Mickie.  The grandson of Irish immigrants, he became passionate about his family history, tracing his genealogy back to 19th Century County Cavan, Ireland, resident Thomas O’Calavin.

Raised and educated in Manhattan, Tom’s enlistment in the Navy for World War II was deferred so that he could enroll in Columbia University.  The first member of his family to attend college, he received a AB in Industrial Chemistry, a BS in Chemical Engineering, and a Masters in Chemical Engineering in 1950.  He began a 35-year career with Du Pont that year, first in Nuclear Defense and Energy and ultimately in fibers technology.  He spent 20 years in Kinston, NC, where he and Margie fell in love with the North Carolina coast, settling in retirement in Emerald Isle.

Tom loved to think, to work, to fix things, and to solve puzzles as well as spend time with his family, who he led on many memorable vacation trips.  He passed on his own curiosity to his sons by asking them questions and giving them puzzles to solve.  He played sports with his children and grandchildren and was an avid golfer late into life.  Throughout his life he chased his passions, often involving his family in learning to bodysurf, sail, soar, and pilot private aircraft.  He also passed on a lifelong love of reading and became active in the bridge players community around his home.  He and Margie’s greatest legacy, however, was a family tradition known as Beach Week, which continues to bring the family together each summer and has created a strong bond between siblings and cousins.  The Colven’s celebrated the 43rd year of Beach Week this past July in Emerald Isle and look forward to many more years to come as a testament to a beloved husband, brother, uncle, father, and grandfather. 

Accordingly, the family will celebrate his life with a private ceremony on the beach.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund at curealz.org.  Finally, the family asks that loved ones remember Tom by living well and doing good works, encapsulated by one of his favorite sayings, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

Raymer-Kepner Funeral is assisting the family. Condolences may be made to raymerfh.com.