Thomas E. Dater ’51

Born on March 19, 1929, Tom was the adopted son of Eleanor Gott and John Y. Dater III ’21.

He prepared at Ramsey (N.J.) High School. At Princeton he was active in Triangle, Theatre Intime, and Whig-Clio and served as assistant swimming team manager. Tom roomed with Will Hamilton, Cham Johnston, and Hal Urschel.

He left college in 1949. In 1953 he joined his father at the Journal Publishing Co., publisher of the Ramsey Journal, which Tom later expanded and renamed The Home and Store News. He married Joan Lutz in 1964.

The couple was struck with tragedy in 1988 when their 20-year-old daughter, Gretchen, was killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan American Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. At the time their son, Christopher, was 15. Tom and Joan became advocates for airline safety and counter-terrorism.

Tom was a civic leader, having served as president of the Ramsey Library board and the Ramsey Fire Department, a director of Ramsey Savings and Loan, and borough historian. He also was a member of Rotary International and clerk of the session for the Ramsey Presbyterian Church.

Tom died March 11, 2013. He is survived by Joan and Chris.