Obituary of Thomas L. Van Etten

THOMAS L. VAN ETTEN

NISKAYUNA -Thomas L. Van Etten, 67 of Niskayuna, passed away on September 7th, 2024 while attempting a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, something he had wanted to do for years.

Tom was born on September 25, 1956 in Coudersport, Pennsylvania to Lynn and Vivian (Hamilton) Van Etten. His family moved to the Niagara Falls area from Pennsylvania when he was very young. He graduated high school from Niagara-Wheatfield HS in 1974 and went on to get a BS degree in Physics from the University at Albany in 1978 and a MS degree in Nuclear Engineering from the Ohio State University in 1981. Tom went on to work as an engineer for the Knolls Laboratory (part of the Naval Nuclear Laboratory) from 1981 to 2023 when he retired after 40+ years of service. Over 30 of those years were in the reactor safety organization, the last 11 in the position of Advisor Engineer.

Tom married Eileen Carbery in June of 1985 and they became parents in 2004 to their daughter, Alice, at a stage in life when most are typically thinking more about future retirement than starting a family. While he had strong interests in many areas such as history, astronomy, and of course backpacking, he took the most joy from being the proud dad to his daughter, Alice.

Tom is survived by his wife Eileen of almost 40 years, his daughter Alice, his mother Vivian, brother David (Bridget), sister Lynda, in-laws and nephews. He also leaves behind a number of valued friends from over the years.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family on Thursday, September 19th, 2024 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at The Dufresne & Cavanaugh Funeral Home, 149 Old Loudon Rd., Latham. A service will begin at 4:00 pm at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the following organizations in Tom's memory: March for Babies, American Hiking Society, Adirondack Mountain Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, or American Battlefield Trust.

For further information or to leave a condolence message for the family please visit www.dufresneandcavanaugh.com.