Obituary of Stanley Tonnesen

Queensbury Stanley Tonnesen passed away, peacefully at home in Queensbury on December 7, 2006 at the age of 88 years from prostate cancer. He is survived by his wife, of 65 years, Dorothy “Dot” Tonnesen, who is living in Queensbury; sons, R. Michael Tonnesen and his wife, Jeanne of Queensbury; and Alan Tonnesen and his wife, Edie of Spicewood, TX and foster daughter, Stacy Lamphear and her husband, Ed of Wilton. Stanley has 9 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. Stanley was the son of the late Alfred and Hanna Tonnesen He was predeceased by a brother, Frank Tonnesen, and grandson, Tim. Stan was born in Brooklyn on April 24, 1918 and moved to Plainfield, New Jersey as a child where he graduated from High School. Stan found his life-long work as a draftsman at age 13 after visiting an architect’s office. The Great Depression precluded college attendance, but his drafting training served him well over the years as he worked in a variety of local architectural and construction firms. He worked in the New York City area until the onset of WWII. Stan met Dot in 1936, and they first dated in June 1941. They married on December 6, 1941, the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor. After initial deferments due to his employment in the oil industry, the Navy drafted him in August 1943. He served on the aircraft carrier CVE Petrof Bay winning 7 battle medals in the Pacific. In later years he attended multiple reunions of the crew of this ship. After discharge from the Navy, he worked in the Plainfield, NJ area from 1945 until 1955. In 1955 Stanley and family moved from New Jersey to Bolton Landing where they owned and operated Bolton Pines Resort, including a miniature golf course and a Stewart’s Ice Cream store. He then bought Skytop Cottages on Trout Lake Road in Bolton. He sold the business and retired in 1977 first to New Jersey, then Florida and finally back to Queensbury. Stan was active in churches all his life and devoted much time to church and civic organizations. He served as a church councilman, Boy Scout committeeman, President of the Bolton Chamber of Commerce, served as the town Building and Zoning Inspector, and Chaired the Town of Bolton Planning Board. The latter developed and published the first Master Plan for Bolton Landing in 1970. He encouraged the purchase and development of the park on the north end of the town. While working for Crandall Architects, Stan was on site as Chief Field Inspector for the Bolton Central School and the Ellis Hospital expansions in the 1970's. He was a member of the Warrensburgh Lodge No 425 of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Bolton American Legion. Even after retirement he was active in community organizations: President of the Original Leisure Village Association, in Lakewood, NJ. After moving to Florida in 1990, Stan founded a telephone book and community news paper, the Spruce Creek “Hi Neighbor” that grew to a circulation for 2000 people and printed over a million pages. A memorial service will be held at the Emmanuel United Methodist Church of Bolton Landing, Stewart Ave., Bolton Landing with the Rev. Carol Knapp, Pastor officiating at 1 PM on Sunday December 10, 2006. There will be no calling hours. Rather than flowers, the family suggests donations to High Peaks Hospice, 286 Glen St., Glens Falls, NY 12801 in thanks for the tremendous support during Stan’s last few weeks. Please visit www.alexanderfuneralhomes.com for online guest book, condolences and directions.