Obituary: Thomas N. Bantivoglio

Thomas N. Bantivoglio of Delray Beach, Fla., formerly of Haddonfield, passed away at the age of 94 on Jan. 23. 

He was the loving husband of Patricia (nee Parker), devoted father of Christine (Grover) Czech of Alexandria, Va., Joy Bantivoglio of Mount Laurel, Judy Bantivoglio Dwornik (Gordon Gottlieb) of Medford Lakes and Bobbie (Jonathan) Turner of Philadelphia. Tom was also the cherished grandfather of Laura, Julia, Ginevra, Jason, and James and will be missed by his beloved caretaker, Elease Lewis. He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas J. and Marie Bantivoglio.

Tom grew up in Camden, graduating from Camden High School in 1942. Instead of joining the family business, N. Bantivoglio & Sons Camden Iron and Metal, Tom  attended Princeton University (1946) and Harvard Law School (1948). Blessed with a brilliant mind, he joined Archer, Greiner, Hunter & Read as a young man and was a long-time partner and chair, serving as counsel to a number of corporations and businesses in the area for more than 50 years and leading the firm during a period of great expansion. A mentor to many, his impact was wide-reaching and deeply felt by all who knew him.

Tom met his beloved wife, Pat, in Margate and their romance was ignited by their mutual love of the beach. Theirs was an enduring love story, leading to 69 years of marriage. He took great pleasure in his family and enjoyed spending time with his four daughters and five grandchildren, of whom he was immensely proud. He will be greatly missed by all of them. 

A selfless philanthropist, Tom served as a trustee of the William G. Rohrer Charitable Foundation and was active in many local charitable groups throughout the years. He was particularly proud of his donations to Rowan University, where he founded the Thomas N. Bantivoglio Honors Program, which continues to benefit some of the region’s most talented students. In 2004, he received an honorary doctorate in humanities from Rowan University in recognition of his accomplishments.

Tom was a man of wisdom, generosity, and warmth. His greatest joy was his family, and he was a loyal friend to many. In later years, he spent time in Delray Beach, where he loved sitting on the porch and gazing at the Intercoastal Waterway. May he forever bask in that view, glass of wine in his hand, saying it was a wonderful life and I did it my way.

Tom’s family will greet friends on Monday, Feb. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kain-Murphy Funeral Services, 15 West End Ave, Haddonfield, and on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church, 200 Windsor Ave, Haddonfield. His Memorial Mass will follow at 11 a.m. Interment will be private. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Tom to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Checks made out to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation can be mailed to P.O. Box 781352, Philadelphia, Pa. 19178-1352. Please remember to write in memory of Tom Bantivoglio on the memo line of the check. Gifts may also be made online at http://www.chop.edu/giving/foundation.