Thomas Edwin Nevius

Obituary of Thomas Edwin Nevius

Thomas Edwin Nevius, of Maplewood, New Jersey, passed away on August 13, 2025, at Kezar Lake, New Hampshire, a place he cherished in the summer for more than three decades. He was 79 years old.
Mr. Nevius is survived by his son, Doug Nevius, his daughter, Sara Nevius, and his sisters, Nancy Sigler and Barbara Nevius, as well as many nieces, nephews, and neighborhood friends who came to know him as the unofficial "Mayor" of Bowdoin Street. He was predeceased by his wife of 48 years, Nancy Nevius, whom he faithfully cared for until her passing in 2022.
Born in Orange, NJ, on October 21, 1945, and raised in Florham Park, Tom received his Bachelor of Science degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and later earned a Master of Business Administration from New York University. He began his career with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he was employed for twelve years. He later established his real estate appraisal firm, Eagle Appraisal, where he worked throughout the state of New Jersey for more than 30 years.
Tom's commitment to his community was unwavering. A passionate and self-taught gardener and handyman, he made significant contributions to several community gardens in Maplewood. His work included the construction and maintenance of raised garden beds for the Rent Party, which produced food for local food pantries and the community at large.
For over a decade, Tom served as committee chairman and leader for Boy Scout Troop 21 and coached middle school girls' basketball and softball, both in Maplewood. Additionally, he was known for his willingness to offer his skills in service to the community, whether assisting with the Maplewood Oyster Festival, building and maintaining the Dickens Village holiday displays, and more recently, volunteering with the "Chainsaw Gang" of the South Mountain Reservation, where he worked to clear and maintain trails.

Tom particularly valued time spent with family and friends at Kezar Lake, where he enjoyed fishing and teaching others the sport, always practicing catch and release. These annual vacations remained among his most treasured traditions. Instead of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the South Mountain Conservancy (somocon.org/donate-membership) in support of trail maintenance and volunteer efforts that Tom was a part of.

Visitation will be held at The Jacob A. Holle Funeral Home 2122 Millburn Ave, Maplewood on Friday, August 22 nd from 3:00 – 6:00 PM followed by Words of Remembrance at 6:00 PM. Interment is private. (Do not delete this line. It does not print. Text that is to appear on web must be entered after this line)«