Thomas Christian Mammen

Delmar resident Thomas Christian Mammen, aged 79, died June 2 in St. Peter’s Hospital following a brief illness.

Born November 28, 1946, in Brooklyn, he was a son of William J. Mammen and Elizabeth M. Carrington Mammen.

Tom grew up in Brooklyn, Levittown and Massapequa, NY. He graduated St. Dominic’s High School in Oyster Bay. He graduated from Siena College in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in French. His French minor came in handy years later when Deirdre and Tom got stuck in the middle of a strike demonstration when they visited Paris. He subsequently received a Juris Doctorate degree from New York Law School while teaching English at St. Agnes High School in Rockville Center. He spent many hours on the Long Island Railroad commuting during law school. He worked for the NYS Department of Labor as an Administrative Law Judge for 33 years. During a job interview he was asked what his proudest accomplishment was and he responded it was the family that he and his wife, Deirdre, had created. His biggest regret in life was that he had devoted too much time to his job when he could have spent it with Deirdre, Kate and Chris.

On July 5, 1980, he married Deirdre Dugan in Clinton, NY, in a wedding ceremony that his sister Beth, who attended many, said was the most beautiful one of all. Deirdre and Tom lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn before settling in the Albany area in 1983.

In keeping with the tradition of his native Brooklyn, he was a Dodgers fan. He and his brother, Bob, shared a story of attending a game at Ebbets Field where they saw Jackie Robinson after the game and he waved to them. After the Dodgers abandoned Brooklyn, Tom and his family with the exception of his brother, Bill, became diehard Mets fans. The love for the Mets was later shared with Deirdre, Kate and Chris.

Tom was known for his quick wit, encyclopedic knowledge, and love of crossword puzzles and Sudoku. His children, nieces and nephews remember him for his kindness, silliness and love for them.

Tom had hoped to spend more time with the people he loved: Deirdre; his wonderful children: Kate Mammen and Chris Mammen; Chris’ wife, Madalyn Zielinski; his adored grandchildren, Ben, Emmy, Trey and Ellis Mammen; his sisters and brothers-in-law: Beth and Robert Sheehan, Judie and Sam Lund and Ellen Mammen; his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Elaine Mammen, Maire Dugan, Siobhan Dugan, Bonnie Dugan Bentley, Darby O’Brien and her husband Kevin Marken, and Frank and Sue O’Brien; his nieces and nephews and their families: Andrew and Anne Lund (Matt and Josh); Lily Sheehan and Chris Nichols (Cal); Rob Sheehan; Mark Lund; Will Sheehan and Allegra Crespi (Luca); Julia Mammen; Megan O’Brien and Dave Cowart (Gabe and Spencer); Brendan and Cari O’Brien (Finn, Cian, Summer and Swan); and Ryan Dugan; and his cousins and their families: Ed and Barbara Mammen; Mary Mammen Lyons; Anne Mammen Hermida; and Joe and Liz Mammen.

Tom was predeceased by his parents, brothers, Bill and Bob, parents-in-law, Pat and Frank Dugan and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Maeve and Frank Dugan.

Donations may be made in his name to the ACLU, Siena College or food and shelter charities. There will be a private interment ceremony for the family at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY. A celebration of Tom’s life will be held at a later date.