Thomas Dunn

RYE, NH – Thomas Dunn passed away peacefully on August 2, 2025, at the age of 82.

Thomas was born in Elizabeth, NJ in 1943 to Francis and Catherine (Collins) Dunn. He grew up in Maplewood, NJ with his three older sisters and attended Oratory Prep High School and Seton Hall University. After college, Thomas spent some of his most formative years in Turkey as a Peace Corp volunteer. While there he forged lifelong friendships, and was so positively impacted by the culture and people, that the experience influenced him for the rest of his life. Upon his return home, Thomas developed a love for education and a fierce compassion for struggling children. This passion was formed when he accepted a job teaching grade school in inner-city Newark, NJ in the summer after the “1967 Newark Riots.” This experience would also prove to profoundly impact the trajectory of his life. Around the same time, Thomas met his wife Noel (Lein) Dunn and they were married shortly thereafter. Their early years took them to Vermont, and back to New Jersey where they settled in Rumson and had two of their three sons.

Thomas worked for years in the family business but eventually couldn’t resist his dream of raising a family in a more bucolic setting, and devoting his life to helping struggling children. With that thought in mind, he moved his family to Maine where he would spend the majority of his life. After settling in Gorham Thomas pursued his Master’s in Education at USM, and he and Noel had one more son. Thomas devoted the rest of his life to helping emotionally challenged students at a handful of schools in Maine including: The Spurwink School, Westbrook Jr High, Gray New-Gloucester Middle School, Gorham Jr High, and Wells Middle School. His passion for improving the lives of his students was unmatched, and helping children was his North star; advocating for them with the school boards, the Maine Legislature, and even the Governor’s Office.

Thomas was a deep thinker, an avid reader, an accomplished linguist, a talented musician, a poignant writer, and a great chef. He loved the ocean, his sailboat, finding a “deal” on just about anything, chess, backgammon, and the State of Maine. Above all else he was proud and full of love for his three sons. From his many beautiful samples of writing on the subject of love:

“What do I mean when I say I love you? In my heart and mind it is the action in my utmost care, responsibility, and concern for you, and the intense desire and effort for your growth, fulfillment, and happiness.

Dear Ian, Nathan, and Collins, please let me tell you something. It’s the reason I say I love you every time I say good-bye to you. I want that to be the last thing you hear me say when I am no longer able to say it.”

He was predeceased by two of his sisters, Carol Shehadi and Joyce Joyce, and his brothers-in-law

Dennis Tallagnon and Fred Shehadi. He is survived by his three sons Ian (Dominique), Nathan (Alison), and Collins (MacKenzie); his sister Bonnie Rae Tallagnon; his former wife Noel Dunn; five grandchildren; and a large and loving extended family of nieces and nephews and their children.

A private service will be planned in the coming months. If you knew Thomas and want to remember him, please tell someone you love them… he would have wanted just that.