Thomas L. Sauerwald Jr.

SURFSIDE BEACH |Thomas Leo Sauerwald Jr., 74, of Surfside Beach, formerly of Browns Mills, N.Y., died Monday, September 6, 2008 at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center.

Born in Baltimore, he was the son of the late Thomas and Martha Sauerwald. A brother preceded him in death.

As a child during the depression years, Tom had jobs to pay for movies and baked goods. He worked for 10 years in the firewood business, and two years in land management walking through woods and bramble bushes. He worked two years as a steel foundry watchman in Pa., and also worked as Aero Club manager at McGuire Air Force Base. Tom had retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Master Sergeant with 26 years of service. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 30 in Myrtle Beach.

Tom had excellent mechanical, electrical and maintenance skills. He was actively involved with computers, initially sure all his children had them also, to presently sending birthday and Christmas cards and yearly calendars and pictures as a communication tool. He gardened, canned, and made sure the family had a vacation every year camping at Lakewood Campground in Surfside Beach for the past 30 years.

Moving to Surfside Beach in 2002, he sold the camper, and bought a pontoon boat where he loved the bays, rivers, inlets and especially shell fishing. He never knew a stranger, and talked to gain and give information across the beaches, doctors offices, restaurants and neighborhoods on what South Carolina has to offer. His spark will be missed along with his offhanded humor, which may have offended some as he expressed himself.

Tom fought cancer from Agent Orange in Vietnam for over 20 years; he also fought emphysema and had stopped smoking cold turkey. Upon retiring to South Carolina from New Jersey, he had hesitation leaving his medical team at Walter Reed Hospital, but gained much confidence in the excellent medical care he received here in South Carolina.

He is survived by his wife, Claudia Sauerwald; his sons, Charles Sauerwald of N.J., Thomas F. Sauerwald of Va., Scott Parttridg of Fla., Mark Sauerwald and wife, Cheri, of Idaho, and James Sauerwald of N.J.; daughters, Laura Moyer of N.J., Debbie Davis of Surfside Beach, Annie Moyer of N.J., and June Sauerwald of Murrells Inlet; 18 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a sister; and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Friday, October 10, 2008 in Florence National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, October 9, 2008 at Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel, with a 7 p.m. prayer service.

Please sign a guest book at goldfinchfuneralhome.com and at MyrtleBeachOnline.com.

Memorials may be made to Doctors without Borders, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030 or Philadelphia Burn Center, 1520 Locust St., Suite 401, Philadelphia, PA, 19102.

Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.