Thomas Roger Vinzent

Thomas Roger Vinzent, age 84, passed away Monday, March 7, 2022 peacefully at his residence after a long illness.

A lifelong resident of the Bay Area, Tom was born in Oakland on April 13, 1937 to his mother, Irma Roberta and his father, Andrew.

As a boy, he attended Montclair Elementary and Piedmont schools, and had fond memories of racing down the grassy hill to get to school. He attended UC Berkeley, obtained a degree in business, and began his early career at Coldwell Banker in mortgage lending. While at Berkeley, Tom met and married the love of his life, Suzanne Heustis. They moved to Orinda in 1962, raised a family, and enjoyed many activities during their retirement, including traveling, dancing, and socializing with family and friends. Tom will be remembered as the nicest person you’d ever meet. He had a huge heart, and shared it with everyone he knew. He was actively engaged in the community and generously supported the less fortunate through many local charities. Tom and Suzanne were members of the parish of St. Clements Episcopal Church in Berkeley for decades, and he invested countless hours in leadership as a committee member and also as a church facilities volunteer, lending his talents for painting and construction to help beautify the church and the grounds.

He was a Renaissance man with many talents and hobbies, including construction, woodworking, and auto restoration. He was happiest outdoors, either in the garden or casting a fishing line. Many memorable family vacations were spent fishing, camping, skiing, and swimming at Pinecrest Lake and Lake Tahoe. His love of classic cars has been passed to the next generation, including his son and his 17-year old grandson, and his face would light up when we told him of the latest car project. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His kind words, warm hugs, and humor will be missed.

Tom is survived by his wife of 61 years, Suzanne of Walnut Creek, his two children Mark Vinzent of Walnut Creek and Jane (Vinzent) Nylund of Oakland, and four grandsons, Robb Vinzent of Berkeley and Ryan Vinzent of Alameda, and Christopher Nylund of Boulder, Colorado, and Alex Nylund of Oakland.

A celebration of Tom’s life will take place on Saturday, the 14th of May, 1 pm. at St. Clements Episcopal Church, 2837 Claremont Blvd., Berkeley.