Born on Dec. 21, 1930, in Rochester, New York, he moved to Lake Placid in 1960 with his beloved wife Eleanor after serving in the U.S. Navy. They had met at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine; married on June 20, 1953; and raised four children together. He practiced dentistry in Lake Placid until his retirement in 1999.

Tom was deeply involved in the Lake Placid community as an active member of Adirondack Community Church, a member of the Lions and a volunteer at Uihlein Living Center, the Ecumenical Food Pantry, the 1980 Olympics and many Ironman competitions. He also was an avid sportsman, including skiing into his 80s at Whiteface (his goal was at least 50 days a year); windsurfing on Mirror Lake and at Kailua Beach on Oahu, where he and Eleanor spent every April for 25 years; golfing at Craig Wood Golf & Country Club; and playing multiple racquet sports.

He earned a bachelor of arts degree at Bates College in Lewiston and his dentistry degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry in Philadelphia. During his time at Penn, he also worked at a Breyers Ice Cream factory and retained his love of Breyers’ peach ice cream and, later, anybody’s coffee ice cream.

But family always came first and as his grew, he loved telling his repertoire of jokes and singing silly songs to his grand and great grandchildren.

He is survived by his four children, Thomas L. of Keene, New York, Daniel of Gorham, Maine, Cheryl Penney of Auburn, Maine, and Christopher of College Station, Texas; three daughters-in-law, Jeannie Cross, Susan Woodman and Mary Ann Powell and one son-in-law, Stephen Penney; six grandchildren and their spouses, Elizabeth Woodman Carr (Jacob), Hannah Woodman Unger (Cole) Lily Penney (Javier), Jamie Penney (Jenny), Liz Pruett (Steely Falar) and Jay Pruett; and eight great-grandchildren, Eleanor and Everett Carr, Harriet Unger, Emelia Ruales-Penney, Leo and Samuel Penney, and Harper and Henley Pruett-Falar. He also is survived by his sister Nan of Saco, Maine.

He was predeceased by his parents and by his wife Eleanor in 2012, and his brother Charles of Tucson, Arizona, in 2023.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at the Adirondack Community Church, Main Street, Lake Placid. Burial will follow at North Elba Cemetery, Old Military Road, Lake Placid. The Rev. Derek Hansen will officiate. Military honors will be provided by the American Legion Post 326, Lake Placid.

Memorial donations may be made to the Adirondack Community Church, 2583 Main St., Lake Placid, NY 12946.