OLMC mourns the loss and celebrates the life of Deacon David. David B. Loman, 83 of Tenafly and Saddle River, NJ. Deacon David passed peacefully on Feb 27, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Deacon Dave’s journey to the Diaconate began September 17, 1975.
Deacon David Loman
March 5th 10mDavid, a semi-practicing Jew, went on a couples’ retreat with his wife, Carol. “I was tricked into going!” he said with a laugh. It was during the retreat that he had a transformative experience with Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. A priest asked him, “Do you believe that the Eucharist is Jesus?” to which he replied, “I know it.” “We believe in signs, the Jewish people,” David said. “And signs kept showing us the path.” His curiosity of Christianity led him to be baptized and confirmed a Catholic. He committed to lectoring and serving as a Eucharistic Minister. David would visit hospitals, senior care centers and the homebound sharing the love of Christ. David was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Newark on May 16, 1992. “It is a ministry of charity, the Diaconate,” he said. He served two churches: Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the other, with barbed wire and electric fencing all around it. Deacon Dave worked continuously in prisons so he was a perfect choice when a former archbishop asked him to become the Director of Prison Ministry from 1997-1998. Deacon Dave continued to say ‘Yes’ to service.
Deacon David’s journey began in Cresskill, NJ and went to the Englewood School for Boys now known as the Dwight-Englewood School. He then attended and graduated from the University of Vermont and was a brother of the Tau Epsilon Phi (TEP) Fraternity. David met and married the love of his life, Carol, and was married for 63 years.
He began working in the automobile industry in 1961. David found his true calling in 1975 when he started to serve the Lord. He became a Deacon in 1992 and served for 28 years at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. This calling also lead him to begin weekly visits to Northern State Prison where he was a Catholic Mentor and Spiritual Guide changing the lives of many prisoners. He later became the Head of Prison Ministry for the Archdiocese of Newark.
In 2015 he won the Volunteer of the Year Award from the New Jersey Department of Corrections for his service. He believed that this was his most important work of all. David was the beloved husband of Carol Loman of 63 years.
A devoted father to his daughter Helen Loman, son John and his wife Liz Loman. A Loving grandfather to his granddaughter Kristine, her husband Bryan and great-grandson Charlie, grandson David and his fiancé Brenna, Granddaughter Samantha and her husband Matthew Luber and grandson Jeffrey Korb. And a loving brother to Tom Loman. David is predeceased by his parents, Evelyn and Samuel Loman and his brother Andy Loman.
Visitation will be Friday, March 4th between 3 pm – 7 pm at Our Lady Mount Carmel Church, 10 County Road, Tenafly, NJ.
The funeral mass will be on Saturday, March 5th beginning at 10 am also at the church. In lieu of flowers please donate to David’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.