Thomas Walter Kane

Thomas Walter Kane

AGE: 77 • Rumson and Vero Beach, FL

Thomas Walter Kane, 77, of Rumson NJ and Vero Beach FL, died on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012 after a brief illness. He passed peacefully surrounded by his loving family. Tom was born on May 29th, 1935, to Walter and Agnes (nee Kilgallen) Kane. He was raised in the Bay Ridge community of Brooklyn NY where he attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help elementary school and St Michael's High School. At St Michael's, Tom was a star runner on the track and field team and was considered one of the fastest quarter mile runners throughout the city of New York. After high school, Tom attended St John's University where he was elected President of the Sigma Chi Upsilon fraternity. His exceptional academic record earned him selection to the prestigious "Who's Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges" for the year 1957. Upon graduation from St John's, Tom entered the US Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. He served for two years as a lieutenant aboard a Navy Destroyer, the USS Johnston. Tom was a fiercely patriotic American who insisted throughout his life that the US Flag always be prominently displayed on his property. He was also extremely proud of his Irish heritage and was very gratified when he was awarded a dual citizenship to Ireland. Tom began his career in the financial services industry as a "runner" on the preferred equity trading desk of Kidder Peabody in 1963. After several years at Kidder, Tom was recruited by rival investment bank RW Pressprich where he remained for several years before finally joining Bear Stearns & Co in 1972. At Bear, Tom worked with a core group of professionals who forged a pioneering path in the burgeoning institutional equity block trading business. Eventually Tom was named a General Partner of Bear Stearns, and remained with the company until his retirement in 1989. Tom was a member of the Rumson Country Club, the Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club, and the John's Island Club. He enjoyed tennis, golf, and challenging himself on the Rocky Mountain ski slopes of Colorado. He was an avid fan of the New York Giants football team, the St John's University basketball team, and he never encountered a New York Times crossword puzzle that he couldn't rapidly dispatch. Tom will be remembered as a man of integrity beyond the reach of compromise. His sense of right and wrong was as clear as the air he breathed and as firm as the ground he stood upon. He believed in loyalty, personal responsibility, and the notion that a deal is a deal. He treated everyone he knew with an equal measure of kindness, dignity and respect and people invariably responded in kind. He possessed an expansive sense of humor, a laser sharp wit, and an uncanny sense of timing. He had an innate ability to add the perfect amount of levity to any situation. Tom's greatest joy in life was spending time with his large and adoring family. He had wonderful loving relationships with his many brothers and sisters and their spouses. He was completely and unconditionally devoted to his six children who in turn loved him with all their hearts. His sixteen grandchildren showered him with affection and lovingly knew him as their "Pop". Above all else, the center of Tom's life was the love, dedication, and unwavering devotion he shared with his wife of 52 years, Janice.

Tom was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Janice; his daughter, Maureen Kaltenbach and her husband Jeff of Vero Beach Fl; son, Thomas and his wife Carol of Fair Haven NJ; son, Michael and his companion Jessica of Rumson; son, Daniel and his wife Wendy of Fair Haven; daughter, Kathleen of Rumson; son, Stephen and his wife Jennifer of Rumson; brother, Jack and his wife Janet of Vero Beach FL; sister, Marian of Mexico City, Mexico; brother, Walt and his wife Bev, of Arizona; sister, Eileen of Charlotte North Carolina; sister, Christine Tallarico and her husband Alex of Rockville Center NY; sister, Patricia Taylor and her husband Robert of Rockville Center NY; grandchildren, Stephen Kaltenbach, Katherine Kaltenbach, Beth Kaltenbach, Matthew Kaltenbach; Kendall Kane, Courtney Kane, Peter Kane; Katie Kane, Megan Kane, Ryan Kane; Thomas Lawler, Jack Lawler, Brian Lawler; Chrissy Kane, Caroline Kane, Lauren Kane.

A memorial visitation will be held Thursday, November 15th at Thompson Memorial Home in Red Bank NJ from 2-4pm and 7-9pm. A memorial Mass will be held at Church of the Nativity, 181 Ridge Rd., Fair Haven NJ on Friday, November 16th at 11am. Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank was entrusted with his arrangements.