Thor Nicholas Jorgensen

Thor Nicholas Jorgensen, of West Orange, NJ, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 17, 2011, after a long illness. He was 47. Born in Wangen im Allgau, Germany, on December 4, 1963, he was the only son of Thor & Ingeborg Jorgensen of Lincoln Park. He was the beloved husband of Michele Jorgensen nee Grieco, whom he married in 1991, and a devoted father to their daughter, Gabrielle. They all survive him, as does his sister, Stephanie Laurenzi of Towaco. Thor attended Ryerson School in Lincoln Park and Boonton High School, and graduated with a B.A. in communications from William Paterson University in 1987. He led a successful career as an advertising executive in New York and New Jersey, beginning as a direct mail specialist, rising through the ranks to become vice president of marketing and strategic planning at R&J Group, and most recently working at LG Electronics, where he was responsible for consumer electronics product marketing. Thor loved music, most especially rock, and travel. He was his own person, someone who did not care about conventions but followed his own path. He had a penetrating sense of humor, and enjoyed getting a rise out of others. He adored being outdoors, in nature and in his manicured garden. He was a loyal Jets and Mets fan, unabashed in his allegiance to underdogs. Thor was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2006, and overcame that illness with determination. He said that his battle had "taught him so much", and he shared these lessons with other cancer patients through his mentoring work with the Colon Cancer Alliance. In 2008, he learned he had a second cancer, this time in the brain. He fought this battle bravely, in his typical self-effacing way. He is greatly mourned by his family in New Jersey, Germany, and Norway, and many friends and colleagues. A service in Thor's memory will be offered at the Presbyterian Church of West Caldwell, 31 Fairfield Avenue, at 11 AM on Saturday. Arrangements under the direction of Ippolito-Stellato Funeral Home, 7 Two Bridges Road, Fairfield. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.