Thomas T. “TVA” Van Aulen, born on September 12, 1949 in Lancaster, PA, fell asleep in death on Saturday, July 8, 2017, at the age of 67. He showed faith, courage, and endurance through his years living with cancer.
Tom was a loving husband to and is survived by his wife Dottie (Wiley) and they recently marked 44 years of marriage. He is also survived by a daughter, Amanda Stauffer (Michael), son Justin Van Aulen (Leah), and grandson Joshua Van Aulen. He was preceded in death by his parents Daniel W. and Jenny (Pizzola) Van Aulen.
Tom graduated from Penn Manor High School and was employed in the office machine and technology field for most of his working life, spending nearly 30 years with G.E. Richards, Inc in Lancaster, and ending with his retirement from Fraser Information Systems in 2014. His love for new technology and to learn new skills helped him transition into the computer and Internet era with ease. His enthusiasm for engineering, electronics and computers was well-known, and Tom greatly enjoyed the field of full scale aviation. Because of this, he spent time building and flying model aircraft and enjoyed model cars and trucks with his son and grandson. He was delighted when his grandson Joshua was born in 2015 and they spent many happy times together playing with Matchbox cars. Tom and Dottie also enjoyed showing hospitality in their home to many friends and family.
Tom enjoyed having conversations with friends and strangers alike, and was quick to offer a helping hand. More importantly, his love for God and neighbor moved him to share the Bible’s message publicly as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for nearly 60 years. He served as an elder in the Fruitville Pike congregation up until his death, and volunteered on construction sites to build houses of worship for nearly 15 years. Tom held dear the Bible’s promise of a resurrection on a paradise earth and wanted to share that hope with many.
The family would like to thank the Cancer Center chemotherapy nurses and the kind assistance of Hospice & Community Care
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 3 p.m. at the Fruitville Pike Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 921 Fruitville Pike, Lititz, PA, 17543.