Thomas (Tom) Henry Kane passed away on April 18, 2024 at Lower Cape Fear Hospice in Bolivia, North Carolina. The same beautiful hospice house his wife, Kathy Kane passed away in, November 2022.
Tom is survived by his children, Jeffrey (his partner Cassandra) and Julie (her spouse Jason); his siblings Patricia (Pat), James (Jim), Timothy (Tim) and his grandchildren Avery, Addison, and Harper; and extended family.
Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Kathy Kane, his father, Harry Kane, his mother, Marie Kane and his brother, Donald Kane.
Tom was so beloved, and his heart was so big, that despite the cardiovascular health challenges he faced for the last many years, his heart kept beating to share that love for so many, AND to receive the same love and attention; attention he just adored. He used to joke with friends and strangers alike, and even in his last weeks in the hospital, winning the affection of the nurses with his “Tom Terrific” charm.
Tom was born in Baltimore, Maryland and was fortunate enough to attend great schools, including Loyola High School, where many reading this surely heard him tell stories of his football glory days, recounting play highlights. And while he was a good kid, he was known to get caught sneaking out to a party or driving when he shouldn’t, a time or two, making his parents question his good “Tommy” reputation. His pride for school and sport continued in college when he attended Villanova University; admiration for the Wildcats continued through his entire life, even attending alumni gatherings with his college buddies into his late 70s.
While he thought for a time that he might follow in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor (and his mom was a nurse), he decided to begin his professional life in pharmaceutical sales instead of going to medical school. From there his talkative personality and ability to become friends with any client or prospective client, lead him to continue a career in sales.
When he met his wife Kathy, he was spending summer weekends in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware with friends. They quickly began dating and married soon after, she was the love of his life. They built a life in Vienna, Virginia raising two kids; taking road trips to the Carolinas in the summer, up north to Vermont in the winter to ski, coaching sport teams for his kids and playing golf whenever he could.
Anxious to retire after being shown the beautiful Southport, North Carolina – he and Kathy built their retirement home in St. James, a gated community of golf, pools, beach and beauty. They truly enjoyed retirement and built such strong friendships enjoying retirement life for many years. Their community of friends (“family”) also became his children’s, and they treated him so well while his wife was suffering from Alzheimer’s and after she passed.
Thank you to family and friends for making him smile and laugh, even into his final weeks. His children are forever grateful.
A celebration of life will be held in Southport (St. James), North Carolina on June 14 and his remains will be laid to rest in the Baltimore, Maryland family plot.
2 Comments
Julie,
I’m sorry for the loss of your dad
Happy to read that he was able to make it to the same hospice facility as your mom.
I thought about you and your dad after meeting on the plane to Charlotte.
Wanted to reach out and give my condolences.
Thanks for sharing your story with me that day.
Remembering my Loyola High classmate of ’58. I will offer a Mass for the blessed repose of his soul, with prayers for the family.
Fr. Ken Meehan, SJ in Baltimore.
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