Obituary of Jose Antonio Soegaard

Jose Antonio Soegaard Jr. November 11, 1956 - April 02, 2009 José Antonio "Tony" Soegaard, Jr., age 52, of Far Horizons Drive, Bethel, cherished husband of Elizabeth "Libby" Soegaard, died at Danbury Hospital on Thursday, April 2nd. He was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico on November 11, 1956, son of José and Gloria (Gonzalez) Soegaard of Palmer, Puerto Rico. Tony received his B.S in Civil Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez in 1978, and completed his M.S in Engineering at Texas A&M in 1980. He was the proud owner and president of Penmar Industries, Inc. in South Norwalk, CT. A man of selfless character, he devoted his life to the comfort and happiness of his family. His greatest joy was found in the love he had for his wife, Libby; their home was always filled with the flowers he brought as reminders of his devotion. His youthful adoration for her was most apparent as he spun and dipped her while dancing to the salsa and merengue rhythms of his childhood. Inspired by his namesake, St. Joseph, the patron saint of fathers, he loved every aspect of his life as the father of José III and Javier Andrés. He relished every opportunity to be a part of his children's lives, taking the time to coach youth sports teams or attend his sons' concerts and plays. He shared with his sons a love for baseball, golf, Latino culture and, above all, service to others. That he reserved his tears for their most shining and important moments speaks volumes to the love and pride he had for his two sons. Yet he did not reserve this love only for his immediate family, as regularly visiting family and friends in Puerto Rico and welcoming his wife's family from El Salvador to Connecticut every summer. Tony considered much of this spirit of familiarity and hospitality as fruits of his Catholic faith. He was a favorite cantor at Sunday Masses at St. Mary Parish, Bethel. His bilingual renditions of popular hymns brought tears to faithful eyes. Inspired by the Gospel's call to work for justice through charity, he was an active member in the Knights of Columbus Pavia Council and a regular volunteer at Danbury's Dorothy Day Hospitality House. Tony was proud of his family heritage, actively engaged in the Latino community in Connecticut, supporting organizations such as the Latino Scholarship Fund, Puerto Ricans in Management and Executive Roles, and the Connecticut Minority Supplier Development Council. Beyond his work at Penmar Industries, Tony also served on the board of Directors of the Spectape Inc., one of the most recognized manufacturers of pressure sensitive tapes in the US, since 2001. He was a member of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) Small Manufacturers and served as Chairman of the Institute of Packaging Professionals Scholarship Fund, which raises funds for college students in the packaging and industrial engineering fields, since 2001. In addition to his parents and his beloved wife of 27 years, Libby, he will be sadly missed by his sons, José A. Soegaard, III of New York City, and Javier A.S. Soegaard of Bethel; his brother, Ricardo Soegaard and his wife, Cindy of Puerto Rico; his sister, Glorimar Soegaard of Puerto Rico; his mother-in-law, Abuelee Penders of El Salvador; his sister-in-law, Sandra, and her children, Benjamin and Maureen Penders. He is also survived by his in-laws, James and Mae Penders; Chris Penders and his wife, Roxanne; Marissa and Mike Maroni; Kelly and JT Welden and Ryane Penders as well as several nieces, nephews, extended family members and dear friends. Funeral Information A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, April 16th at 11:00 A.M. at St. Mary Church, Bethel. Interment will be held privately. The family will receive friends at St. Mary Church, Bethel on Wednesday, April 15th, between the hours of 4:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. Donations Information Memorial Contributions in Tony's memory may be made to the Latino Scholarship Fund, PO Box 3355, Danbury, CT 06813.