Dr. Thomas Richard Bane

Dover, NH - Dr. Thomas Richard Bane, 95, formerly of Rollinsford and Peterborough, NH died peacefully with family by his side on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at Watson Fields Assisted Living Home in Dover, NH.
He was born on August 16, 1928, in Woburn, Massachusetts at Choate Memorial Hospital to Clara Elvia Trott Bane and Thomas Patrick Bane. He grew up at 98 Fowle Street in Woburn. He was the second born of three children; his sisters were Mary Clara and Margaret Elizabeth.
He attended Woburn Public Schools beginning with McGarr Elementary School in first grade where his beloved aunt, Bertha Bane, was the principal. He graduated from Tufts University in Medford, Mass in 1951 with a B.S. in Chemistry. He met the love of his life, Joan Amelia Lentino, on the steps of the science building on campus in 1948 after a long day in the labs where he was majoring in chemistry and she was a biology major.
While at Tufts Tom was recruited to the track team for the hammer throw. He was an All-American while at Tufts in the 35 lb. weight. His indoor 35 lb. weight record of 61ft. 8.5 in. at Tufts was recently tied in 2013. Tom emailed the young man to congratulate him. He was the World Record holder, for a time, in the 35 lb weight in 1951. He went to the Olympic Trials in June 1952 in Los Angeles California, as a representative of the US Naval team, where he placed 4th in the 35 lb. weight after he called a "foul" on himself that the referees missed; he did not make the team. Those who knew him well were not surprised to hear this story.
He joined the Navy in August of 1951 and was stationed at Bainbridge Naval Training Center until March of 1952, then at the US Naval Academy as an Olympic Team candidate from March 1952 until September 1952. He entered the Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, graduating in December 1952. He served on the USS Tumult out of Charlotte, North Carolina, and then was part of the crew that built the USS Loyalty AM-457, a minesweeper, during the Korean War. Tom loved his days in the Navy. He told all who would listen that there is nothing quite like taking night watch in the middle of the sea and being under the stars. Thomas was an Executive Officer, MSO-457, earning the China Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. All of his loved ones loved to listen to his stories of his time at sea cruising to Japan, Hawaii, South Korea, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and North Africa.
After five years in the Navy, he returned home to marry the love of his life, Joan Amelia Lentino, on August 18, 1956, at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arlington, Mass. They moved to New York City where he attended NYU Dental School, graduating in June 1960. They returned to Waltham, Massachusetts to open their first dental practice on Muzzey Street in Lexington, Massachusetts in September 1960; he focused his work on general dentistry. Always the researcher, he became interested in the field of implantology dentistry and moved to join a groundbreaking practice in Winchendon Massachusetts. After years of this focused work, he left and reopened his general practice again where he was known as a gifted pediatric dentist. He practiced dentistry until the age of 77; he continued to hear from former patients and their families for the next two decades.
Tom and Joan had four children, Amelia Clara, Michael Lentino, Richard Thomas, and Maria Teresa who they raised, first in Waltham and Weston, Massachusetts. The family moved to Peterborough, NH where they lived for the next thirty-six years before moving to their home in Rollinsford, NH. This move put them within five minutes of all five of their beloved grandchildren; driving them to swim, dance, and karate as well as delivering homemade meals on busy school nights and hosting all of the family holidays. Grandpa was revered by his grandchildren for his incredible knowledge of any topic they were interested in, his love of Italian opera, Joan's Italian cooking, his knowledge of history, vocabulary, geology, stamps, and his love of all dogs.
Thomas was predeceased by his beautiful wife, Joan Amelia Lentino Bane in 2019, his beloved mother, Clara Elvia Trott Bane in 1943, his sister Mary in 1931, his sister Margaret in 2011, his sister-in-law Regina Lentino Algird in 1975 and his beloved niece Joan Marie Ward in 2022.
Thomas is survived by his children, Amelia Clara Lentino-Bane of Dover, NH, Michael Lentino Bane of Dover, NH, Richard Thomas Bane of Brunswick, Maine, and Maria Theresa Bane, of Beaverton, Oregon. He will be dearly missed by his dedicated grandchildren, Carmyn Amelia Chapman, Gabrielle Alyssa Chapman, Tessa Marie Chapman, Adaire Nichelle Bane, and Thomas Michael Bane. He also leaves behind a dear friend and sister-in-law, Marie Lentino Ward of Westford, Massachusetts.
The entire family would like to thank all of the dedicated, compassionate staff at Watson Fields Assisted Living for the beautiful, compassionate care that he received in his last ten months of life, and most especially on his last day. They would also like to thank the physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, aides, and scheduling staff at Cornerstone VNA for their tremendous support during the last four years.
There are no calling hours. There will be a family burial at Oak Grove Cemetery in Medford, Mass in the spring. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Cocheco Valley Humane Society, 221 County Farm Road, Dover, NH 03820.