OLD TOWN – Tom Hess, 83, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, from complications of Parkinson’s disease and kidney cancer, in the loving presence of his wife, Anne, and son, Sam.

Tom was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 21, 1940, to Louis C. Hess and Frieda Cronenwett Hess. His early years were spent with his uncle Chris and aunt Gladys Tiemann, and his cousins Bill and Judy, in Cincinnati. At age four, he returned to live with his parents in Michigan City, Indiana, where he spent his youth among the waters and dunes of Lake Michigan, proudly bringing home fish, wild asparagus, and coal to his family. At age seven, he became a proud big brother when his sister Susan was born, and he protected, nurtured, and mentored her for the rest of his life.

Despite having a very difficult childhood, Tom became an excellent scholar, rising to meet challenges with his quick wit, intuition, intelligence, and amazing creativity. He graduated from Michigan City High School in 1958, received his B.S. from Wabash College in 1962, and earned his Ph.D. in physics from Ohio University in 1967, which was based on mathematical models of nuclear structure solved with novel computational approaches. In 1969, he joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Maine and began teaching and doing research focusing on nuclear physics. After a sabbatical in Houston from 1979-80, he began working in health physics. Tom was an especially compassionate professor with a friendly and disarming way of getting to know people. He would never give up on a student and saved many from discouragement and failure. He was a mentor to both students and faculty and became an uplifting force in the department. His interest in environmental issues led him to study the effects of naturally-occurring radioactivity on human health. This work helped discover that natural radon in the air and water of people’s homes could cause lung cancer and other serious illness. He worked tirelessly to educate and disseminate these discoveries, visiting numerous elementary schools in Maine, consulting with homeowners to help them stay safe, and eventually contributing to the creation of state and federal standards limiting radon exposure in homes and workplaces. It is estimated that these standards have saved tens of thousands of people from getting cancer. Tom retired in 2021 after 52 years as a teacher and researcher.

He met his lifelong love, Anne Letchworth, while at graduate school in Athens, Ohio, smitten by her beauty and musical talent, and reveling in her appreciation of his off-the-wall humor. He often expressed his love for her, and his devotion was never failing. On their limited graduate-student salaries, they decided they would rather spend their money on a honeymoon trip than a fancy wedding, so they drove to San Francisco to be married. They were married for 57 years, and had one child, Samuel Timothy, who was born in 1973. Instead of following the convention of the time, Tom and Anne had the unusual philosophy of bringing their son along everywhere. As a result, Sam grew up in the physics department, sleeping under Tom’s desk, playing in the halls, going into the lab and listening to scientists, and traveling to conferences. Tom was elated when Sam decided to return to Maine and become faculty in the same physics department, where they spent 20 years working closely.

Tom was an unstoppable storyteller and punster, often engaging in banter with colleagues and friends. He was quick to give an informal lecture on any topic, the quintessential professor, and because he read such a wide variety of material, those “lectures” could be quite enlightening as well as entertaining. There was at least one occasion, however, after a glass of wine and hearty meal, when his guest audience fell asleep. He was a talented amateur painter. He loved fly-fishing on rivers and lakes, swimming in the ocean, listening to classical music, and eating baked goods and ice cream.

Tom could see the bright side of any situation. While he suffered from many physical limitations himself, he taught those around him to count their blessings and be thankful, to focus on the positive rather than the negative, and to take joy in helping others. Early in life, he was a member of the Church of the Brethren, and then after moving to Maine he joined the Stillwater Federated Church, which he served for the rest of his life. Even in his last days, he praised those around him, complimenting his caregivers and family and cracking jokes.

Tom is survived by his wife, Anne; his son, Samuel and his wife Julie Gosse; his sister, Susan Kennedy; his granddaughters, Adelaide Hess and Sarah Kate Hess; nieces, Danielle (Michael Varnum) Hess and Christa Hess Smith; nephew Peter (Jamie) Kennedy and niece Jennifer Kennedy; niece Danni Letchworth; cousins, Chris (Beth) Tiemann, Judy (Jürgen) Eufinger, and Jane Howard; and his beloved dog Robbie, who stayed by his side constantly during Tom’s last week of life. He was predeceased by his parents; his uncle Chris and aunt Gladys; his brothers, Harrie F. Hess, Peter Hess, and Louis Hess Jr.; his friend Kenneth Brownstein, and his best friend, Charles “Skip” Smith.

Many thanks for support from the Visiting Angels, especially Andrea; Orono Commons; Beacon Hospice; family physician Jack Forbush; friends from Stillwater Federated Church and the UMaine physics department.

A memorial service will be held on June 15, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Stillwater Federated Church in Stillwater, Maine, Pastor Jung Sun Oh officiating. Refreshments will be available after the service.

We ask that any donations in his memory be given to charities supporting the poor, organizations supporting research on Parkinson’s disease, or the Stillwater Federated Church.

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