Dr. Thomas J. Vergo, Jr., esteemed prosthodontist and maxillofacial dentist, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away after a long illness on March 7, 2022. Tom was born on May 29, 1943 in New Orleans, La., the oldest son of the late Hazel and Thomas J. Vergo, Sr. Tom was born into a big family, as one of four boys, and then had a large famil,y himself. His big, loving, blended family was the pride and joy of his life. 

Tom is survived by Elizabeth, his wife and beloved partner of twenty-five fulfilling years, formerly of Colebrook and Norfolk, Conn. and currently of Westborough, Mass; his four children, and ten grandchildren, for whose love and friendship he was most grateful: Matthew Vergo of Wilton, N.H.; Bethlyn Vergo Houlihan, her husband Tim, of Maynard, Mass; Maxwell Vergo, his wife Amelia, of Etna, N.H.; and Heather Dame, her husband Jason, of Los Angeles, Calif. Tom is also survived by three children, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild by marriage: Christina Astrove, her husband Steven, of Wellesley Mass., Pamela Scully, her husband Robert, of Higganum, Conn., and Diana Irwin Beck, her husband Steve, of Hopkinton, Mass.

Tom grew up in East Rochester, N.Y. and graduated from the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Buffalo in 1971. Upon completion of his prosthodontic and maxillofacial prosthetics training in 1976, Dr. Vergo accepted a full-time faculty position at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in the Department of Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry. In January 2004, Dr. Vergo retired from Tufts University as a Professor Emeritus. In addition to his full-time teaching responsibilities, Tom maintained a part-time private practice over the past 50 years, lectured locally, nationally and internationally, and published 40 articles in various professional journals. 

Tom was a valued member of many illustrious professional groups: the American College of Prosthodontics, the Academy of Prosthodontics, the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics (Past President), the International Society of Maxillofacial Rehabilitation, the American College of Dentists and the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics. Not surprisingly, Tom was also thoroughly involved in several foundations helping children and underprivileged patients receive the maxillofacial care that they needed and deserved. 

Tom’s passion and enthusiasm for work and life were unmatched. He was a devoted and greatly respected practitioner, teacher, and colleague who profoundly impacted the lives of hundreds upon hundreds of patients through his outstanding restorative facial and dental work. He cherished his many friends and colleagues and his large family, leaving each person better off for having known him. Tom was incredibly kind and always made himself available to help others both personally and professionally. He welcomed everyone he met with a generous smile, warm hospitality and often a ridiculous dentist joke. Upon meeting him, people felt they had known him all their lives. 

Among his many passions throughout the years, Tom loved traveling around Europe with Elizabeth, curling with the Norfolk Curling Club, listening to classical music by the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, singing in the choir at church, cuddling with his dogs, and building rock gardens at the house in Colebrook where he and Elizabeth lived after his retirement from Tufts. 

A memorial service to honor and celebrate the life of this extraordinary person will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Church of Christ Congregational in Norfolk, Conn. The service will be followed by a reception and will be held both in-person and as a livestream.