Obituary of James T. Cosaboom

JAMES THOMAS COSABOOM SR. Jesus said come and Tom went home to be with Him in a placed prepared for him to live eternally on. James Thomas Cosaboom, Sr., affectionately known as Tom and "Pop", of Pennsville, New Jersey, passed away at home on Tuesday evening, September 26, 2023, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. He is survived by his wife Judith (Sprague) Cosaboom, his children Bonnie Cosaboom Mathewson (John deceased), James Thomas Cosaboom Jr. (Kimberly) and Jayne Cosaboom DiCicco (Nick). He is survived by grandchildren: Amanda Mathewson, Amy Mathewson, John Mathewson(Joann) and Megan Mathewson; Katy Cosaboom Engstrom (Daniel), Jessie Cosaboom (Josh), James Thomas Cosaboom III (Kate), Richey Singh, TJ Cosaboom and Nikki Cosaboom; Victoria DiCicco (Calvin) and Nicholas DiCicco. Also surviving are great-grandchildren: Grayden James Cosaboom, Grace Nikole Mathewson, Gwenyth Jo Mathewson and Kole Michalis Mathewson. Tom is survived by his brother Bruce Cosaboom (Mary) and sister-in-law Lorraine Sloan (Butch deceased) and close cousins Tim and Eileen Gross. He is survived by beloved nephews and a niece and family cousins. He was predeceased by his father and mother, Roland and Betty Taylor Cosaboom and sister Mary Cosaboom FitzSimons (Jim deceased); his father and mother-in-law Ralph and Dorothy Tilton Sprague and his brother-in-law Steve Sprague (Steven). Tom was born on June 23, 1941 in Mount Holly Hospital, NJ to Roland Paul and Mary Elizabeth Taylor Cosaboom of Medford, NJ. Tom attended Medford Grammar School and graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, NJ. He received a B.A. in Industrial Arts from the College of New Jersey (aka Trenton State College) He took additional courses at Lincoln Technical School during his teaching years. During High School and College Tom worked holidays delivering mail for Medford Township. He worked two summers building houses in Ocean County at the shore for Shapiro Brothers. He dug clams and sold them during the summer. He taught for 36 years for the Pennsville School District basically at Pennsville Memorial High School but with some teaching at Pennsville Middle School. He taught Introductory to Industrial Arts, Auto Shop, Small Gas Engine Repair, Electric Shop, Wood Shop and Metal Shop. Auto Shop was his main area and he was able to have a new shop area and equip it with the best tools, lift, etc. Tom was class advisor for the Pennsville Class of 1970. He worked many summers in maintenance for the Pennsville School District. He taught a class of basic Auto for night school for a few years. He was a life member of the New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey Retired Education Association and the Salem County Retired Teachers Association. He taught a few summers at the Salem County Vo Tech. He wrote a course for High School - Basic Home Repair where the students actually framed out a house and put in the electrical and plumbing areas. Following his retirement he worked for ten years at Shimp's True Value Hardware in Pennsville (now Pennsville Community Hardware) in serving the public. Following that employment he worked in maintenance at Salem County Christian Academy for 7 - 8 years. He helped with the sets for the school plays. He taught the basics of Wood Shop for two years at SCCA. Tom enjoyed hunting and fishing as hobbies but laid them aside to take care of his ever-growing family and to serve the Lord more faithfully. He maintained his membership with Quinton Sportsman's Club, mainly for trying out his shotgun. He would go duck and goose hunting, and deer hunting maybe a day or two in season. And Tom did serve his Lord and Savior in two Bible believing churches in various ministries such as the Bus Ministry, Choir, Jr. Church, Sunday School, Youth Ministry, Senior Citizen Ministry, Flocks Group, Shepherding Group, and as Trustee, Deacon and Elder. Tom has been a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Carneys Point, NJ for approximately the last 25 years. He treasured his Pastors (Jerry Hill, Jeffrey Hill and Timothy Hunt) and all of his brothers and sisters in the Lord. There are treasured people from Ambassador Baptist Church (Pastor John Cornette). People were a priority in his life (our lives). It has always been about the people you meet along the way. I, Judy, had a bucket list: We celebrated Tom's 80th Birthday with all of our family present. We celebrated our 60th Wedding Anniversary! The Lord is good! Always good! With Him we made this journey called life. Tom ran the race and has won. He is face to face with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and reunited with family and loved ones gone on before. He will be missed deeply by his family but there will be a glad reunion day coming! Good Night Tom! I will see you in the morning!! Judy I cannot begin to thank our loving family, friends, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, our community of people at their places of work, our neighbors, as well as all of the professional and medical people involved in Tom's care. Bayada Inspira PT, OT and Speech and of course the kind and gentile care of Bayada Inspira Hospice were some of the sweetest people you could meet or talk to yet very thorough with their medical expertise. For every kind word, card, meal, flowers....and especially for your prayers.....may the Lord bless and keep you!! Services will be conducted at Calvary Baptist Church, 300 Georgetown Road in Carneys Point NJ with a greeting time for the family from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.. The service will begin at 11:00 A.M. Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery Manahawkin/Cedar Run, NJ in the Sprague family plot. Tom will be laid to rest with Judy's parents. If you feel so led and in lieu of flowers you may give in Tom's memory to Calvary Baptist Church at the above address. www.laughreyfuneralhome.com