Thomas P. Demkin Jr.

Thomas P. Demkin Jr., 86, died on May 2, 2010. He was born in Mattituck on Nov. 18, 1923, to his loving parents, Helen Dzus and Thomas P. Demkin Sr.

Thomas was married for 50 years to his high school sweetheart, Anna Demkin (nà e Shubert). Together they operated Shubert Duck Farm in Riverhead, from 1959 to 1985. The farm was founded by his father-in-law, Michael Shubert, and is currently the site of BJ’s and Kmart. The farm produced 150,000 Pekin ducks annually for the U.S. market. The operation included breeding stock, incubation machinery, 40,000 growing ducklings at any one time and a processing plant.

Tom was a graduate of Riverhead High School, Class of 1941, and Roosevelt Aviation Academy, 1941. He was a mechanic for Pan American World Airways in the Azores Islands during World War II.

Tom coached Little League, was an officer in the Long Island Duck Growers Cooperative and a member of St. Isidore R.C. Church in Riverhead. Tom enjoyed traveling, bridge, canning fruits, dancing and his family and friends. He was a lifelong voracious reader. He was a loving father, brother and grandfather, a kind, caring and generous person, who will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Thomas is survived by his devoted children, Katherine and husband Philip Kalanz of Holly Springs, N.C., Tim and wife Susan Demkin of Warren, N.J., Elizabeth and husband Paul Dick of Maplewood, N.J.; and six grandchildren. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Anna Demkin (1996); his dear brother, William Demkin; and two dear sisters, Sadie Kulesa and Marian Nabor.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at 11 a.m. at St. Isidore R.C. Church, 622 Pulaski Street, Riverhead, followed by burial at St. John Cemetery, 546 St. John’s Place, Riverhead.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of AAA B Cremation Services, 416 Bell Avenue, Raritan, NJ 08869. BOOMER, R.I.P.