Sad News From TSSMCC and NNL East

[Tom Geiger]

I'm sorry to have to pass on some bad news. Todd Koncsol of the Tri-State Scale Model Car Club passed away suddenly yesterday. Todd was a dear friend of the club and one of our charter members. He was a talented artist, family man and a big contributor to our club and everything that makes TSSMCC and NNL East great. I personally have known Todd for the 25 years I've been associated with the club, and watched him grow from a young single guy to a responsible family man. Todd was the one man art department behind NNL East. If you have an NNL East t-shirt or postcard, you have been touched by Todd's art. Todd had a trademark sense of modeling, you would instantly know a model was his when you saw it. He was hand painting stripes, logos and even scripts on models since I met him. Several of his models made it into NNL East artwork over the years.

Todd brought his famed 1966 Mustang Shelby clone to our last meeting for the first time. He had been working on this car as long as I can remember, bringing progress shots to meetings of the never ending project. So there it was finished at our last meeting and he was so proud. I will always remember watching Todd drive off in the Mustang, not knowing it would be the last time.

Condolences to Todd's family, his friends and his best friend and fellow club member Bart Orlans. They were inseparable since junior high, both charter members of TSSMCC, attending the first meeting together some 30 years ago. In fact, they are together in the attached photo. That's Todd on the left, Bart on the right, looking at models as always.

While Todd didn't participate in on-line forums, I thought it appropriate to let the modeling community know of his passing due to his long involvement in the hobby and his significant contributions to TSSMCC and NNL East. Many of you may know him through the show.

There are times we'll brush off the significance of our club and all we do there as 'just a hobby', but remember that the little plastic cars are just a very small aspect of our involvement and friendships.

Our club album of Todd's Models:

http://public.fotki.com/tssmcc/tssmcc_members-1/todd_koncsol/

[cobraman]

Sorry to hear this. He was a talented builder.

[Danno]

Very, very sad news, indeed, Tom.

Heartfelt sympathies and condolences to Todd's family, Bart, you, and the TSSMCC family.

Tragic that he had so little time to enjoy the Mustang finished.

[Ramfins59]

So sorry to hear this Tom. As Danno said above, heartfelt sympathies to Todd's family and his modeling family.

[FASTBACK340]

OMG…. So sorry to hear this Tom. Amy & myself send our condolences to Todd's family.

I hate reading these type of posts…..

[Modlguy]

I am deeply saddened by Todd's passing. He was one of the first to welcome me to the club some 22 years ago and was a good friend and inspiring modeler. He will be missed.

[Tom Geiger]

Todd A. Koncsol AGE: 51 • Hillsborough, NJ

Todd A. Koncsol, 51, of Hillsborough, passed on Wednesday, June 25, 2014. He was born in Perth Amboy, grew up in the Clara Barton section of Edison, and resided in Hillsborough for the last 16 years. Todd worked as a Graphic Designer for Bristol Myers - Squibb in Plainsboro. He was a 1996 graduate of Rutgers University and he was a charter member of the Tri-State Scale Model Car Club.Todd is survived by his wife of 16 years, Margaret Huang; his daughter, Lyra Huang Koncsol; his parents, Philip and Carol Koncsol of Edison; his brother, Dean and his wife Kathleen of Scotch Plains, and a nephew, Ryan. Funeral Services will be held at 11 AM on Monday, June 30, 2014 at Flynn and Son\Koyen Funeral Home, 319 Amboy Ave., Metuchen. Interment will follow at Clover Leaf Memorial Park, Woodbridge. Visitation will be Sunday 4-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Paul's Reformed Church, PO Box 1160, Perth Amboy, NJ 08862-1160. For directions or to send a condolence message, visit our web page at http://www.flynnfuneral.com - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mycentraljersey/obituary.aspx?n=todd-a-koncsol&pid=171515676&#sthash.3vPvL9QB.dpuf

[my80malibu]

Very Sad News. The Modeling world has lost a truly Great Builder, as witnessed on the pages of Fotki. I did not know Todd personally. However I enjoyed the Models He built. My deepest Condolences to His Family.

[MrObsessive]

Sigh......I hate to read posts like this as well.

51 is waaaaay young to pass away. He was certainly talented and looking at the Fotki album, I couldn't help but save pics of this gem...........

NOT necessarily an easy conversion to do! Needless to say, my condolences to his friends and family.

[Kris Morgan]

Such sad news. My heart goes out to Todd's family as well as his "club family". As Tom pointed out, clubs are about far more than the models. They are often an extended family. I have had the chance to talk with Todd at the shows. A true class act. The hobby has lost not only a great builder but also a great guy. R.I.P. Todd.

[charlie8575]

It's tough when you lose someone who's not only a major driving force behind a club or an event, but someone who is also esteemed and respected by his peers is what takes bad and makes it worse.

My sincerest condolences to TSMCC and his family in this time of great loss.

Charlie Larkin

[Porscheman]

For the short time I knew him, I found a true moderler and a new friend. I will miss his monthly creations and talking to him at our meetings.

Truely a sad day.