Thomas William Van Bree

VAN BREE-Thomas William, 55, of Miami, FL and Dorset, VT, ended a courageous battle with cancer on December 27, 2003, and is resting peacefully with the Lord. He was born in Queens, NY on May 4, 1948, a son of William and Eileen Van Bree. He grew up in Merrick, Long Island, NY, where he attained the Order of Arrow through the Boy Scouts, was a Red Cross Senior Life Saver and a acolyte at his Church. He graduated from Calhoun High School, Merrick, NY, in 1966 and Butler University in 1970. Mr. Van Bree was the owner and president of Techcrete Architectural Precast Co. of Miami, FL, and was a charter member and past President of the Cast Stone Institute. He was an individual who followed his own dreams. Tom led an endlessly creative life, full of enthusiasm for each new idea, and integrity in the quality of his work. His honesty, humor and unpretentious nature gave him the ability to draw a broad circle of devoted family and friends. He had an unyielding desire to make the most of of his life. Survivors include: his mother, Eileen Van Bree; wife of 26 years, Carol (Whiteman) Van Bree; one son, Nicholas Van Bree; two daughters, Kelsey and Christiana Van Bree; two sisters, Barbara Edwards and her husband Rick of Glastonbury, CT and Nancy Van Bree of Cold Spring Harbor, NY; an uncle, George Skidmore of Setauket, NY. A Funeral Mass took place Saturday. Burial will take place in the spring in St. Jerome Cemetery, Dorset, VT. Donations are suggested to your own church or synagogue or the Make-A-Wish Foundation.