Thomas S. Cannito's Obituary
Surrounded by his loving family, Thomas S. Cannito, 81, of Palm Coast, FL was welcomed into heaven unexpectedly after a brief illness on February 7, 2022. He was born on August 20, 1940 in Weehawkin, NJ to Ralph and Rose (nee. Angelica) Cannito.
Tommy grew up in Totowa, NJ and graduated from Passaic Valley Regional High School in 1959. On May 20, 1962 he married his high school sweetheart, Norma Kerr. They lived in Clifton, NJ for 4 years before moving to Wayne, NJ where they resided for 53 years, raising their daughters Stacey and Nicole. In 2019, they fully retired down to Palm Coast, FL to be closer to their children, grandchildren, and enjoy the year ‘round beach lifestyle.
After high school, Tom enlisted in the Army National Guard. He started his career at Leader Dye in Paterson, NJ. Later, Tom joined Bayer Corporation as a trouble shooter for the Chemical & Dyes division, eventually becoming a salesman for 30 years. He worked very hard and had a special knack for building strong long standing customer relationships. After retiring from Bayer, Tommy became a licensed real estate agent, selling homes in northern New Jersey for over a decade. He officially "retired" when he and Norma permanently moved to Florida.
Church played a meaningful role in Tom and Norma’s lives. While still in New Jersey, they enjoyed being part of the Seniors group at Wayne Presbyterian Church. They have many fond memories of events, dinners, and trips with the group- especially to Sight and Sound Theatre near Lancaster, PA. Most recently, they loved being involved in the Prime Timer group at Parkview Church in Palm Coast. Tommy truly enjoyed being part of their Life Group and Weekly Bible studies.
Over the 65 years Tom and Norma were a couple, they also enjoyed a wide variety of activities together- including bowling, skiing, golf, tennis, and especially spending time at the beach. For years, everyone enjoyed spending time at the family beach house on Seacrest Beach in Lavalette. When not around family, they enjoyed socializing with close friends. Many memorable nights consisted of card and board games as well as mahjong. Tommy’s Italian heritage led to an appreciation of delicious food. He enjoyed cooking in, but was always up for going out for a meal.
Those who knew Tommy best recognized he was very sentimental. He always encouraged and supported his family. Perhaps more than anything, he loved a good laugh. He will be deeply missed by numerous family and friends.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Norma; his daughters Stacey Hartley and Nicole (James) Storms; grandson C.J. Storms; and granddaughters Jessica and Danielle Hartley, and Skyler and Piper Storms. He was also survived by his three siblings: sister Joyce Whitehead, and brothers Ralph (Noel) and Michael Cannito; sister-in-law Karen Van Blarcom; and numerous nieces and nephews. Tom is predeceased by his parents Ralph and Rose Cannito.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday 18, 2022 at Parkview Church located at 5435 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast, FL 32137. A public viewing will be available from 10:00-11:00am. The funeral service will begin promptly at 11:00am. A reception will be held onsite immediately following the service. For those unable to attend in person, the funeral livestream can be viewed online at 11:00am at: https://boxcast.tv/view/celebration-of-tom-cannito-317683
Heritage Funeral and Cremation Service of Bunnell, FL is assisting the family. www.HeritageFlagler.com
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