THOMAS BAYNE DENEGRE Jr.

DENEGRE, Captain Thomas Bayne Jr., USN (Ret.), 92, of Irvington, Va., died on April 28, 2012. He was born February 20, 1920 in New Orleans, La., the son of the late Thomas Bayne Denegre and Alma Baldwin Denegre. After enlisting in the U.S. Naval Reserve at age 17, Denegre transferred to the U.S. Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Tulane University. With signs of war building up, he gained an officer's commission in 1941 and immediately volunteered for the submarine service, where he served for 19 years. He commanded a submarine, and later a division of six submarines.

During WWII he made 10 submarine war patrols in enemy-controlled waters. He was awarded the Silver Star Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation for his actions in combat. He held the Submarine Combat Insignia with stars for seven successful war patrols. He also held other combat area ribbons. Toward the end of the war he had the good fortune to marry Louise Turberville Radford of Kansas City, Mo., who was his lifelong companion and greatest supporter. Post-war duties included service in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, USN Postgraduate School, The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Chief Naval Section MAAG Belgium, where he received the Army Commendation Medal for his performance representing the U.S. Navy, and command of a deep draft U.S. Navy supply ship.

Continuing in leadership roles after retiring from a 27-year career in the Navy, Denegre entered the banking industry where he rose to positions of Senior Vice President and Senior Trust Officer. He created the Trust Department for the Chesapeake Bank of Kilmarnock, Va., and in this capacity he served on the Board of Directors of the Chesapeake Bank, and Vice Chairman of the Board for the Chesapeake Financial Shares Holding Company. While with that bank, Denegre also led a group of dedicated citizens to form the Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury Continuing Care Retirement Community of Irvington, Va. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the RWC facility for 15 years, and then served as Chairman Emeritus. For over 20 years the Denegres lived in their historic house "Pop Castle" on the Rappahannock River near White Stone, Va. Tom loved to sail his sloop "Pimpernel" and many brass victory plaques attesting to his racing acumen adorn the walls of the Rappahannock River Yacht Club. Tom and Louise often cruised with friends on the waterways of the U.S. East Coast as well as European waters. In the early 1990s the Denegres moved into the Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury Retirement Community where they, and their beloved Spaniel dogs, enjoyed their remaining years. Tom Denegre left this world enormously grateful for the loving care he and Louise received from the dedicated staff at RWC. Captain Denegre is survived by his children Thomas Bayne Denegre III, John Baldwin Denegre and Eleanor Radford Denegre. Surviving grandchildren are Brooke, Taylor and Alden Denegre. On Friday May 4, at 1 p.m., the funeral service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, Kilmarnock, Va., with burial following at Historic Christ Church, Irvington, Va. The Reverend David May will officiate. A reception will follow at the Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury Retirement Community starting at 2:30 p.m.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.