For as long as she can remember, Kristen Kane Shaw found comfort and security in her father's hands. "He was there for me holding my hand in his when I first crossed the street and he was there through­out my life," said Shaw of her father, Babylonian Tom Kane. Throughout his brief illness, it was Shaw and other family members who held Mr. Kane's hand. Thomas Joseph Kane died April 10, 2009 at Christa House in West Babylon after a battle with lung cancer. He was 75.

"I told him I was there and would always be there and that we will always be together," said his daughter who put her feelings into a poem she wrote about her father. Mr. Kane was born in Hempstead on Aug. 13, 1933 and later worked for his father's import-export com­pany on Wall Street in Manhattan. He and his wife Jane moved from Bay Shore to southern California where he flew fighter planes for the U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS Princeton for several years.

In 1959, the family returned to live in Babylon Vil­Tom lage and Mr. Kane be­came involved in the community he loved. He was a member of the Babylon Village Planning Board and the Babylon Rotary Club. In 2001, he be­came a member of the Babylon Village Zon­ing Board of appeals and held that post until his death.

"He was a man who could captivate you with a story and he had great stories to tell as a person who traveled throughout the world," said Babylon Village Mayor Ralph Scordino. "He loved this Village and that is why he decided to bring his family to live here."

Mr. Kane worked as a test pilot for Grumman Cor­poration, and traveled the globe selling fighter jets. After his retirement in 1994, he traveled the world with his wife Jane. He was described by those who knew him as a kind person with a wonderful sense of humor and a great understanding of the world around him.

"He taught me to listen and to respect people for who they are and to work as hard as you can and play as hard as you can," said his daughter.

"He was from the old school," said Mayor Scordi­no. "I knew him through his work on the Zoning Board," said Bruce Humenik, chairman of the board. "He always provided a sound perspective to our dis­cussions and while I knew he was intelligent, I had no idea of the depth of his experience and background. He never talked about it. He was very humble." In addition to his wife Jane (McGinnis), and his daughter Kristen Kane Shaw of Amityville, Mr. Kane also leaves behind his other children: Abby of Bethel, Connecticut, and Thomas III of Scituate, Massachu­setts. Five grandchildren: Samantha and Sarah Boyle, Ryan and Katherine Kane and Brady Shaw also sur­vive him as do his sisters, Barbara Breuer of Katonah, New York and Jean Smith of Great Falls, Virginia. He was predeceased by his daughter Julie.

Mr. Kane reposed at the Claude R. Boyd-Spencer Funeral Home in Babylon on April 13, 2009. A Funeral Mass was held at St. Joseph's R.C. Church in Babylon on April 14, 2009 followed by interment at the Calverton National Cemetery. Donations in Mr. Kane's memory can be made to the Christa House, 720 Albin Ave., West Babylon, New York 11704 or to the Baby­lon Rotary, P.O. Box 672, Babylon, New York 11702.