Dr. Robert C. Tague

Robert Carlton Tague, retired dentist and lifelong member of the Alexandria Bay, N.Y. community, passed away on March 3, 2026. He was born on October 12, 1930 in Oswego, N.Y., the son of Dr. Carlton Tague and Margaret Wagoner Tague. At age three he returned with his mother to Alexandria Bay and grew up there. He is predeceased by his beloved wife Jean Canney Tague, and is survived by his five children Rick (Patricia Inglesby), Susan (Mark Smith), James (Lori Thistle), Sally (John Bartlett) and Peter (Linda McCabe), along with ten grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. 

Robert graduated from Alexandria Bay High School in 1948 and attended the University of Vermont. During his college summers he was a tour boat announcer, entertaining tourists with a memorized spiel about the Thousand Islands, a speech that he recited into his nineties. He married Jean Canney, from New Hampshire, on December 28, 1953. They met one summer when both were working summer jobs in the Bay. They were fortunate to enjoy seventy years of marriage. 

Robert graduated from the University of Buffalo School of Dentistry in 1954 and entered the United States Navy immediately following graduation. As a Lieutenant Commander he served as a dental officer aboard the USS Dionysus and the USS Arcadia with the Sixth Fleet. His tour of duty included six months in the Mediterranean Sea. Robert and Jean welcomed their first child, Rick, while they lived in Newport R.I. and Philadelphia, PA. during his Navy years.

Robert and Jean settled in Alexandria Bay in 1956, welcoming four more children born at E. J. Noble Hospital (now River Hospital). Robert joined Dr. Frank Gillick’s dental practice shortly before Dr. Gillick’s retirement, and practiced for forty years. Robert served on the Advisory Board of Jefferson Community College, was president of the Board of Education at Alexandria Central School, president of the Alexandria Bay Rotary Club and served as elder and deacon for The Reformed Church of the Thousand Isles. Robert also served as president of the Jefferson County Dental Society, and was a member of the Pierre Fouchard Dental Academy. He was Past Master of Alexandria Lodge # 297 F & AM, and District Deputy Grand Master of the Masons of the State of New York. He served on the Board of Trustees at the Antique Boat Museum and was one of the founding members of the Antique and Classic Boat Society in Alexandria Bay. He was a member of the Concerned Citizens group that saved River Hospital, and was a trustee at the hospital for many years. He was also president of Alexandria Bay Minor Hockey, and was inducted into the Minor Hockey Hall of Fame.

Among his favorite community events was the annual Winter Carnival, for which he served as chairman for twenty years. Here he could be found in his fur-flapped hat and duct-taped parka, cheering on the children of Alexandria Bay who were participating in skating races, broom ball matches, figure skating and hockey events. 

Robert was pleased that his son, Dr. James Tague, joined his dental practice in 1992. He was Citizen of the Year in 1992, and took special pride in promoting the Thousand Islands, especially Alexandria Bay. He was a great champion of the Alexandria Bay community, and deeply loved the St. Lawrence River and Bella Vista Lodge, where he and Jean spent more than fifty years with their children and grandchildren. Robert spent his final years gazing out upon the river, watching the majestic ships pass and the magical beauty of the river, a wonder throughout the seasons. 

Calling hours are Tuesday March 17 from 4-7 pm at the funeral home. The funeral will be Wednesday March 18 at 11am at The Reformed Church of the Thousand Isles. There will be a reception in the church hall immediately following the service. Burial will be in the spring at the Riverside Cemetery on Wellesley Island. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to River Hospital, The Reformed Church of the Thousand Isles or the Alexandria Bay Fire Department.