Thomas Victor Dana

Born in Manhattan to Vincent James Dana and Natalia Pece, he is survived by his wife, Judge Joan B. Carey.

He won 14 trophies and 10 medals for debating, oratory and dramatics in high school. He also won 29 of 30 debates and was president of his high school debate society. He received the medal for excellence in public speaking upon graduation from high school.

In high school he also became the vice chairman and later, chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews in New York City (high school division).

He was awarded a four-year scholarship to Georgetown University for debating. In 1955 he served as the secretary of the Freshman Debating Society at Georgetown University. He transferred from Georgetown to Columbia College in New York City in 1957. In that year he became the television chairman of the Columbia debating society.

Late at Columbia he became a member of the Constitutional Revision Committee of the Columbia Pre-Law Society and was elected president pro tempore of the Columbia Pre-Law Society.

He also wrestled in intramural wrestling and in the novice wrestling tournament at Columbia. He was also a member of the Columbia sailing club.

He often stated that his desire to study law was because he believed that what natural talents he had were best suited for that profession. He had the spontaneous gift of public speaking ever since early childhood and later years he had a great deal of success in every field of public speech from debating to drama. The strict logical nature of legal thinking was his greatest enjoyment. He experimented with this sort of mental exercise in debating, and the discipline of thought was his prime motivation in majoring in philosophy at Columbia. He experienced many forms of such logical thought from the severe logic of medieval metaphysics to the applied forms of logic in philosophical epistemology. It is an accumulated proficiency in a member of related fields that led him to the choice of law.

The summer of 1957 was spent in the Marine Corps where he had the opportunity to experience the legal profession as it is actually practiced. He worked as a law clerk at Dewey, Ballantine, Bisby, Palmer, and Wood. There he became convinced that it was his proper vocation. The firm complimented him on his work and urged him to enter the legal profession, as well as offering him an invitation of future employment. However both beneath and beyond these factors, he felt there is the appeal of human compassion in rendering justice to his fellow persons in society. Social justice had a deep and personal meaning for Tom.

He met his wife in church at Saint Jean Baptiste. They were married 38 years.

A visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, 2026 from 2 to 6 PM at Frank E Campbell - The Funeral Chapel 1076 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10028 Madison Ave at 81st St., 212-288-3500.

A mass will take place on Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 10 AM at the Church of Saint Jean Baptiste at 184 E. 76th St., New York, NY 10021

Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, NY.