Obituary of Thomas P. Vanderhoof

ALBANY - Thomas P. Vanderhoof of Albany passed away peacefully Tuesday morning, March 7, 2023, at 86 years old. Tom leaves behind his son, Stephen Vanderhoof (Aviva); his daughter, Sarah Diefendorf (Jake); his grandchildren, Simmy, Shalom, BT, AY, Celia, Chloe and Camilla; his sisters, Ann Dedrick and Lynn Vanderhoof; and his former wife, Ida Vanderhoof. He was predeceased by his parents, Pat and Maude Vanderhoof (Hadley); his brothers, Pete, Mike, Joe, and John Vanderhoof; his sister, Maureen Hanson; and his nephews, Michael and Jason Vanderhoof. Born in 1936 in Port Henry, N.Y., Tom enjoyed fishing in Lake Champlain with his brothers and played baseball, football, and volleyball for Port Henry High School, from which he graduated in 1954. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during the Korean War. In the 1960s, Tom worked in construction in the Capital Region helping to build the Empire State Plaza. He later worked for CDTA in the treasury department until his retirement. In the 1980s and '90s, Tom coached several of his daughter’s girls’ softball teams to championships at National Little League. He lived with his family on Forest Avenue in Albany for many years and was beloved by friends and neighbors. A lifelong Yankees fan, Tom never missed a game. In the past few years, Tom has been a fixture behind home plate at Westland Hills Little League, watching his granddaughters play softball. He will be greatly missed by family and friends. Cremation has taken place through the care of Simple Choices, Inc. A mass will be held on Monday, March 13, at 11 a.m. in St. Patrick’s Church, 12 St Patrick's Place, Port Henry, NY 12974. An additional memorial celebration will be held on Saturday, March 18, from 12-2 p.m. at the Bethlehem Terrace Clubhouse in Slingerlands. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in his name. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Vanderhoof Family, online at: SimpleChoicesCremation.com