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Joan and Jim Dambrowski posted a condolence
Saturday, January 16, 2021
We just found out today about the passing of your Dad on LinkedIn, we are very sorry for your loss. We enjoyed our conversations with him everytime we talked to him.
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Bernie Sweeney posted a condolence
Thursday, July 23, 2020
I was very fortunate to be hired by Joe and Tom back in 1983. They both taught me a lot over the years that we worked together! Tom was as strong technically as anyone I have ever come across. He could diagnose tricky problems quickly and teach you at the same time how to learn from what you just experienced. I give Tom credit for getting me started in residential sales at Oliver. He was running the sales calls and doing a great job of it. One day he looked a little overwhelmed, so I asked him if could help. Tom responded that he could use some help running sales calls. We had more leads than he could handle as Tom was wearing two hats at that time service manager and sales person. Tom took me out on a couple of leads to show me the ropes. He then sent me out on my own to see how it would go! I was fortunate to have some early success and Tom gave me more opportunities. Shortly Tom and Joe came to me with an offer to become the full time salesperson for Oliver which I gratefully accepted. Tom shared with me later how happy he was to be out of the sales side of the business and back 100% in the service side of the business. Thank you Tom for being a great mentor and giving me the opportunity to have a career in heating & cooling sales! May God Bless Tom, Marlene and the Bodden Family. Bernie Sweeney
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Joe Oliver posted a condolence
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Tom Bodden was one of my very best friends and business partner. He was the reason that I moved in Maris Groves 13 years ago. He had several great attributes.
I discovered one when we were called in to do work in a large supermarket that had many problems with its refrigeration system. The call came in early one morning and we worked all through that day and all through the night. We also worked all through the next day and into the next night without even a short nap.
When we finished that night, we were both extremely tired. As we were carrying our last load of tools down to our trucks, Tom stopped on the stair landing and said, “Let’s put down our tools, we forgot something.” Then we went back up to the mechanical room and Tom closed the door behind us.
Tom had us both get down on our knees to thank our Lord Jesus for getting us successfully through such a complicated and difficult job. This was one of the greatest experiential boosts that I ever received to my spiritual life and I will always be thankful to Tom for it.
Joe Oliver
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Rocco Pace posted a condolence
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
I will remember Tom as a great HVAC industry man. He was very helpful and supportive of me in the late 80’s early 90’s as I started my career at Oliver heating and Cooling. Tom’s contribution to the success of Oliver was huge and I will always remember him as a mentor to me!
My wife and I traveled with Tom and Marlene to Bermuda on an incentive trip from York, Carol and I had a great time hanging out with them. We had a ton of laughs and it remains one of our favorite vacations.
I will say a prayer for Tom, the Bodden family and his long time friend and partner Joe Oliver,
God Bless Tom Bodden!
Rest in Peace my Friend
Rocco Pace
Former President and CEO
Oliver Heating and Cooling
Christine Bodden uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
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My father came from very meager means. I remember stories he would tell us of surviving on ketchup sandwiches and playing hooky from school to catch muskrats for pelt money. His home life was very unstable, causing him to be transferred from one place to another, along with his brother. I couldn’t fathom this when I was growing up because Dad provided such a stable environment for us.
Dad didn’t graduate high school, technically. He joined the Marine Corps to get his GED and made a life for himself. I believe that when he met Marlene (my Mom), he envisioned all the stability and structure he never had in his life growing up.
After Dad married Marlene, he worked at GE in Philly while they struggled to raise Paula and Christine in an apartment in Tinicum. I don’t remember it personally, but have seen pictures of Dad giving us “horsie rides” and us serving him tea from our little play station.
My memory of moving to Brookhaven, when Dad started his own business as an A/C and Refrigeration technician, was filled with fun and music. Dad would play his records and teach us to dance. I learned how to Polka and Waltz, and we sang “Nia Sama” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado. Dad also taught me how to garden and plant trees. He lined our property with gorgeous Blue Spruce trees that he purchased as Christmas trees for us.
Then came little power-house Elaine and Dad LOVED her enthusiasm for sports. He took us to baseball games, where Elaine made friends with all the fans around us, and he took us to the University of Penn Ice Rink where he taught us all to ice skate. Don’t get me wrong, Elaine wasn’t just a sports fan, she would also sit in her room and play records over and over, singing “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Ravioli”.
Mom and Dad bought us a piano, which became a life-long passion for both myself and Paula. It wasn’t easy for them to listen to us practice, or fight with us to practice, but they persevered. Dad would sit at the piano and try to play old Italian love songs. Elaine chose the trumpet, as her enthusiasm needed more “umph”. Such an individual Elaine was/is, and so strong. Dad loved her for that.
Then came miracle boy Doug. Our surprise brother changed our world, bringing excitement and laughter into our home. What a cutie he was. When Doug was diagnosed with lymphoma at the age of 5, Marlene converted her life to care for him. Dad was there to support, and thank God for that. It was not an easy time, and Marlene and Dad gave all they had to care for Doug.
Marlene has always been a caretaker, albeit sometimes so practical it was rather cantankerous. Such is life. You learn what you live with.
At any rate, Dad made a huge impact on everyone he knew. He researched problems and found solutions. He provided his children with love and support. And he also enjoyed wonderful laughter.
Everyone who knew him respected his knowledge and his spirit. A man who made a life for himself, and created a family that loves him with no boundaries. A man who gave God to his children and now deserves to be with God.
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Richard Gambrill posted a condolence
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
To Doug and all of the Bodden Family. My deepest condolences during this time. It sounds like he was a terrific guy.
Rich Gambrill
Media, PA
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Annamarie Thomas posted a condolence
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
To my Cousin Marlene, all my 1st cousins, 2nd cousins, 3rd cousins, and 4th cousins: My sincere sympathy on the loss of Tom who will be missed by all. Rest in peace Tom. You were a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and a favorite cousin to all of us. Love, Cousin Annamarie
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Joseph Oliver uploaded photo(s)
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
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Tom Bodden was my first business partner in the late 1970's until the late 1980's. Tom was very instrumental in building Oliver's residential service, maintenance agreements and AOR department. Tom and I remained a good friends over the years. - Joe Oliver
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The family of Thomas R. Bodden uploaded a photo
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
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George Bodden posted a condolence
Monday, July 13, 2020
Tom was the greatest "kid brother" in the world, and I don't hesitate to say he was a damned fine husband and father.
While many who have known Tom may feel the loss, only we close family members realize the true value of what we lost when we lost Tom.
We had kind of a rocky start as children, but some very kindly aunts and uncles stepped in and picked up the slack. Both Tom and I joined the Marines almost immediately after reaching seventeen. The fact that we now had our own "sack", clothes as good as .
anyone else had, and more chow than we could handle lead us to almost enjoy Parris Island .
While in the Corps, we both got a taste of what a better education meant and we did pursue some higher education, but what we may have lacked in education we made up for with hard work and perseverance.Having four "little blessings" also highly motivated
the pair of us. That and the fact that our wives did not intend to be pitied because their husbands were lazy failures!
Tom was a very successful guy; he had guts, determination, and a wonderful family supporting him, in brief the ideal American success story. I loved my brother very,very much, and our weekly bantering about politics couldn't even put a dent in my love for him. Now, I'll miss him terribly, but...you know, the gates of heaven, etc.
Pagano Funeral Home
3711 Foulk Road
Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania19060
DE: (302) 792-8485
PA: (610) 485-6200
Moreland-Pagano
3711 Foulk Road
Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania 19060
PA: (610) 494-0505