Thomas Robert Kane

Thomas Robert Kane, 63, of Pearisburg, “Tom” to his friends and family, passed away in his home in the early hours of Thursday, May 22, 2025. The son of the late Robert Rhea Kane III and the late Ann Lipsey Kane; he was born at Giles Memorial Hospital on March 13, 1962.

Tom grew up in Pearisburg, graduated from Giles High School in 1980 and Bridgewater College in 1984. After college, he sold insurance, worked in Atlanta, and worked for CG Muse his Mississippi lawyer uncle; he also spent time in California before returning to Pearisburg to make his home.

A life-long learner, he found his calling in nursing as a technician at Catawba Hospital in Salem and worked his way up from LPN to RN receiving a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nursing from Old Dominion University. Prior to becoming his parents’ primary caregiver, he was a supervising nurse at a nursing home rehabilitation center in Pulaski, VA.

Tom was the heart of the family, a joyous, sometimes hard-headed but always loving soul. A deep thinker with a wry wit and contagious grin. He loved to travel but Giles County was his love.

A loyal brother, kind uncle, and a friend who kept close tabs on those who meant the most to him. The one who would give you the shirt off his back and the one to call when you needed someone to listen to you and laugh with.

He was a lifetime member of the Pearisburg Presbyterian Church and served as Ruling Elder, Assistant Treasurer and Trustee. He also pounded the pavement and made phone calls for Democratic candidates.

Tom had an encyclopedic recall of history and sports; baseball, hockey and football were his favorites. He grew up rooting for the home-team Spartans, Hokies and Washington Redskins (now the Commanders). The Baltimore Orioles, the Atlanta Braves and later, the St. Louis Cardinals were his baseball teams and the Nashville Predators his hockey team. He cheered them with his nephews from nosebleed sections and the bleachers and studied the plays on TV in his den. If you asked about a statistic, a team, player or a coach, he knew the answer.

He is survived by three sisters, Caroline Kane Kenna (Michael R. Kenna) of Huntersville, N.C.; Rosalind Kane Zimmerman and Jessamine Kane-Wiseley (Colin Wiseley) all of Christiansburg;

four nephews, Mark Kane Zimmerman, Robert Logan Kenna, Michael Patrick Kenna (Marti), Mark Shannon Kenna (Lyndi) and grand-niece Sylvie Rae Kenna. His Aunt and Uncle, Laura and John Robin Bradley of Oxford MS; cousins Kathleen Arey Carroll, Claire Bradley Ong, Ann Muse Murphy and Lynn Muse Godfrey, Stephen Edward Arey, Jonathan Southard and their children, and friends who are like family. He was preceded in death by three cousins, Allan Arey, Patrick Arey and Mark Bradley.

A graveside service will be held at noon on Saturday May 31, 2025, at Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg and a celebration of life service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the Pearisburg Presbyterian Church, 114 Easley Street, Pearisburg with the Rev. Steve Darr officiating.

The family will receive friends on Friday May 30, 2025, 6 to 8 pm, at Givens Funeral Home, 110 Woodrum Street, Pearisburg.

His pallbearers: Tony Cecil, Benji and Danny Ratcliffe, Mark Kane Zimmerman, Colin Wiseley, Michael R. Kenna, Patrick, Mark and Logan Kenna, Luke Stubbs, Frank Telegadas, and Mike Wood. Honorary pallbearers: Jimmy Gross, Mark Hubbard, Bentley Ratcliffe and Paul Stubbs.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to donate to the American Cancer Society, https://donate.cancer.org or The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) https://www.nami.org. Online condolences can be sent to the family at givensfuneralhome.com.