Daniel Traub

Daniel Traub, DDS, MS, 70 of South Portland, Maine passed away September 13, 2025 at Yale New Haven Hospital with wife and family by his side. He was born April 17, 1955 in Albuquerque, NM to Benjamin and Alice (Hartey) Traub. Daniel is survived by his devoted wife of 44 years, Deborah (Roscoe) Traub and their four loving children; John Traub (Cori Carfagno) of Olney, MD, Michael Traub (Jen Henzi) of Suffern, NY, Andrew Traub (Ann West) of Los Angeles and Lauren Traub (Damen Erf) of Chicago along with three grandchildren he adored; Alexis Videc, Roan Traub and Cillian Traub. Daniel is also survived by his five siblings; Anita Traub of Denver, Steve Traub of Albuquerque, Rosemary Traub of Albuquerque, Polly Traub of Placitas, NM and Joseph Traub of Albuquerque. He is preceded in death by his parents and a brother, David Traub. Daniel grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he attended Del Norte High School and participated in football and track. He attended and graduated from Colorado College in 1976 with a BFA in Fine Arts, graduating Cum Laude.. He played football for the Division III Tigers and found his love for ice hockey there. Dan and his teammates were inducted into the CC Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 for their superlative 1973 season. Daniel taught middle and high school for two years before returning to college to pursue a career in dentistry. He attended Creighton University Boyne School of Dentistry in Omaha, NE. It was in Omaha that he met his future wife, Deb; a mutual friend in the health science library introduced them. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, he, Deb, and their two oldest sons headed east so Daniel could pursue a residency in oral maxillofacial surgery at the University of Connecticut. There, besides a busy residency, they became Whalers fans and also worked as dorm parents at Miss Porter's School. Their third son was born in Connecticut. After finishing his residency, they moved to New Mexico, where Dan practiced as an oral maxillofacial surgeon for 27 years. He was also a member of the dental forensic team for the State of New Mexico. Their youngest, a daughter, was born in New Mexico. In 1989, Daniel joined the Naval Reserves, following a desire he had had since high school to serve in the Navy. He remained in the Reserves and intermittently on active duty until 2015, rising to the rank of Captain before retirement. Daniel was a lifelong learner, having studied at the Naval War College and Norwich University to earn two additional Master's degrees. He also trained through the Navy as a forensic dentist. He authored many professional papers and studies through the years including papers on nutrition and dental health, anesthesia in the setting of rare disease, and a variety of unique case studies. He enjoyed passing on his knowledge and experience, working over the years with generations of dental hygiene students, dental students, and residents. He was an avid reader, with a library full of history books. Daniel and Deb also participated in numerous medical missions abroad through the organization Healing the Children, including trips to Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, Russia, and Cape Verde. They led teams of healthcare professionals in providing surgical oral-maxillofacial care to children in developing countries. Daniel's love of sports shone through every part of his life. He coached football, both at the youth and high school levels, was a football referee, and coached and refereed youth hockey, earning a Level 5 coaching certification from USA Hockey. He especially loved coaching his children, all of whom played hockey. He danced for the New Mexico Ballet Company, where his daughter also danced. A devoted fan of the U.S. Naval Academy, he held season tickets to Navy football for nine years, and he and Deb rarely missed the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, making it an annual tradition to celebrate their love of college hockey. After moving back to the East Coast, Daniel and Deb became Bruins fans and Daniel rediscovered his love for baseball, becoming a devout Red Sox fan and season ticket holder. As Daniel neared retirement, he and Deb made Portland, Maine their home. They spent time enjoying the dog-friendly beaches, long walks, lots of seafood and lobster, and ending the night with Red's ice cream. Though he continued to work part-time, their days were filled with travel, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with family. The most important things in his life were his wife, four children, their partners, and his three grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Fisher House Foundation or to Colorado College Athletics Sports Medicine at the link below. Please mark the "this gift is in memory of Daniel Traub" https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/69782/donations/new? Family and friends are invited to meet and attend a committal service with Full US Navy Honors on Friday, December 5 at 1 PM in Santa Fe National Cemetery, 501 N. Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe NM. Please meet directly at the cemetery office prior to service on December 5, 2025.