Thomas John Kendzulak Sr. 71, died July 15, 2011 at Concord Hospice House in Concord, N.H. after a courageous four year battle with cancer. He was born in Piscataway, New Jersey on February 21, 1940 to William and Clara (Dmytruk) Kendzulak. He graduated from St. Peter’s High School in New Brunswick, N.J. in 1957. He went on to work at Union Carbide in Bound Brook, N.J. where he met Joan. He then continued his career as a chemical sales representative for Tenneco Plastics, Occidental Chemical, and finally retired from D.H. Litter six years ago. Mr. Kendzulak has lived in Londonderry for the past 40 years. Tom’s passion was fishing. He was an avid fisherman. He enjoyed fishing with his son Tom. He started a bass fishing club 23 years ago and held tournaments that included many local fisherman. Tom also enjoyed playing poker with his friends. He was a loyal and true friend and always a gentleman. Tom and Joan wintered in Ft. Myers Beach, Florida and Tom also continued to enjoy fishing there. He was known as the one who always caught the “Big One”, usually a huge black drum fish found in the Florida Gulf. Tom was a parishioner of St. Jude Parish in Londonderry, N.H. He was an active member of the Londonderry Lion’s Club where he headed the Christmas Tree sales each year as well as getting involved in all of the club undertakings. He loved being a Lion. He received the highest award from the Lions, the Melvin Jones Fellow award for dedicated humanitarian service, and was Lion of the Year several times. Tom was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend and will be sadly missed.
Members of Tom’s family include his wife of 47 years, Joan (Yannetta) Kendzulak, of Londonderry. He has two wonderful children, Karen Salerno who lives in Piscataway, N.J. with her husband Paul, and Thomas Jr. who lives in Windham, NH with his wife Becky. Tom was especially proud of his six grandchildren, Matthew and Gabrielle Salerno, Kelsey, Olivia, Jack and Emma Kendzulak. He was proudly called Pop-Pop and they loved him dearly. He has three brothers, John and wife Rita from Piscataway, N.J., William from Flemington, N.J., James and wife Kitty from Piscataway, N.J., a sister Eugenia and husband Paul from Bethlehem, PA, and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours were Tuesday July 19th from 5 pm to 8pm at the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 290 Mammoth Road, Londonderry. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday at 10am at St. Jude Parish, 435 Mammoth Road, Londonderry. Memorial donations may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street Boston, MA 02115, or to St. Jude Parish Building Fund, 435 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, NH 03053.