Travis Cosaboom, 83, of Oldwick, NJ passed away peacefully on August 26th in Lawrence Township, NJ after a long struggle with dementia. He was born in Medford, NJ on October 1, 1939, and attended RVRHS in Mt. Holly where he was a standout player on the football team. He went on to the University of Delaware (Class of 1961) on a football scholarship where he was a valuable player on their football team, the fighting Blue Hens, and where he also earned a master’s degree in business. He had a long successful career with General Motors rising in various management positions, and worked for GM in Wilmington, DE, Detroit, MI, Tarrytown, NY, NYC and Linden, NJ. He additionally worked internationally for GM in South Korea and helped open a GM plant in Spain where he also set up a school for American ex-patriots. Travis was a member of the Somerset Lake and Game Club and the Mattapoisett Casino.
Travis was pre-deceased by his parents, Ervin and Ada Cosaboom, and sister, Linda Mechel. He is survived by his sister Lana Robbins, his three children, Michael Cosaboom, Brant Cosaboom and Jeanetta Cosaboom and six grandchildren. He is also survived by his ex-wife Nancy Mayer, his longtime partner Hilary Prouty, her two children and one grandchild. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends, as well as his beloved Border Terrier Barney. Heartfelt gratitude is extended to Olu Ericon (Wally) who lovingly and gently cared for Travis in Oldwick as well as the other places he lived as his dementia advanced, until the very end.
Shortly before his retirement Travis met Hilary Prouty and they started their happy 20-year journey together, maintaining a residence in Oldwick, NJ and a summer home in Mattapoisett, MA. His retirement years with Hilary were filled with adventures: hiking and biking the hills of Tewksbury and “flatlands” of Mattapoisett, as well as embarking on many extended active vacations in this country and abroad. Travis also relished the peace and relaxation which Mattapoisett offered, taking long walks on the beach with Hilary and their dog, kayaking the smooth waters of the quiet inner ponds off the harbor hoping to catch a glimpse of some native shore birds, playing mediocre tennis, enjoying a glass of wine while taking in the stunning sunsets, or simply sitting in the shade with a book in hand, savoring the view.
Always an athlete and an outdoor and fitness enthusiast, Travis was a dedicated runner & past marathoner, often rising before dawn in Oldwick to get in his 5 miles while his partner was still slumbering. He regularly worked out at the gym, and he and Hilary often attended yoga classes together. He could be fiercely competitive and sometimes hot-tempered, as those who know him are aware, but he was also kind, gentle, humble, compassionate, and generous.
Some of his friends may not know that while raising his own family, Travis and his ex-wife fostered several young children to help give them a better start in life. They also participated in many volunteer projects with the Sierra Club. After he retired and moved to Oldwick, Travis volunteered his time with several local charities, including delivering Meals on Wheels, helping the elderly with their income tax preparation, and was appointed by the State of NJ to act as a guardian to those residents who required help managing their affairs. He was so grateful that he was given the opportunity to attend college, he never stopped “giving back” to those in need.
On a personal level, it was my greatest joy to have had Travis as my full-time partner, lover, companion, and best friend for over 20 years. Although I was still working when we first started living together and often didn’t get home until evening, he would always have a wonderful home-cooked meal waiting for me, complete with candlelight and wine! He was an accomplished self-taught chef and we often gathered friends and neighbors together, especially our fellow “Church Streeters”, around our dining room table to enjoy his home-cooking. Those evenings remain most memorable!
Although devastated by the loss of dear Travis, I will forever cherish and be comforted by the memories of the many happy years we shared together.
A Memorial Service was held on September 4th at the Blackwell Memorial Home in Pennington, NJ, and to be followed by a private celebration of Travis’ life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, one may consider making a gift in his memory to support the UD Football program. Below is the link to do so online and the address to which to mail checks. Checks can be made payable to the University of Delaware and in the memo field please indicate – “UD Football – in honor of Travis Cosaboom”.
Link: https://ud.alumniq.com/giving/to/bluehens
Attn: Gifts Processing
83 East Main St., 3rd Floor
Newark, DE 19716
