Obituary of Thomas Dixon Dudderar

Thomas Dixon Dudderar of Chatham Twp., N.J., died September 10, 2024 in Livingston, N.J. at age 88. He was born January 23, 1936 in Dover, N.J. to Janet (Bennington) Dudderar and Thomas Dixon Dudderar, Sr.

Dixon graduated from Dover (N.J.) High School in 1953 and earned his Bachelor’s degree from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. in 1957. He went on to attain a master’s degree from New York University in New York City in 1959 and a PhD from Brown University in Providence, R.I. in 1966, then moved back to New Jersey to begin his career.

Dixon was a research scientist and engineer at Bell Labs (later AT&T and Lucent) in Murray Hill, N.J. for about 40 years. He has many patents to his name.

Dixon and his wife of 39 years, Elizabeth “Betty” Anne (Myers) Dudderar, enjoyed boating at the lake and traveling to Maine for summer vacations. They loved watching tennis, dining at several favorite local restaurants and making regular trips to the Madison Area YMCA for exercise.

Dixon was an avid collector, especially of Lionel model trains and railroad memorabilia. He loved reading magazines like the New Yorker and the Economist, with the New York Times being his every-morning favorite newspaper. He also liked working in the yard and on projects around the house.

Dixon was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather E. Sterling Fisher of Dover, N.J. and sister Janet Sue Dudderar of Oklahoma City, Okla.

Survivors include his wife Betty of the home in Chatham; daughter Alanna Jean Dudderar and her companion Thomas Babbitt of Ledgewood, N.J.; son Conrad Benjamin Dudderar of Yukon, Okla.; and nephew Andrew Sterling Dudderar and his wife Heather and children Quinn and Sterling of Boulder, Colo.

The family will plan a private memorial service. Arrangements are by Tuttle Funeral Home of Randolph, N.J.(Tuttlefh.com)