Thomas John Fiene
Oct. 28, 1934-July 18, 2026
Palo Alto, California
Dr. Thomas J. “Tom” Fiene, 91, an extraordinary physician, humanitarian, and beloved family man, passed away in the early morning of July 18, 2026. In a beautiful testament to a lifelong romance, he was reunited hours later with the love of his life and "sweetie pie", Nancy Jordan Fiene.
Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on October 28, 1934, to John and Hilda Fiene, Tom grew up alongside his younger brother, Jim, and sister, Sue. Early in his childhood his family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin where he spent summers working on local farms using horse-drawn plows, picking beans, and milking cows by kerosene lamp light.
Academically, Tom excelled in physics while also an enthusiastic musician, thespian and athlete. Still in high school, he played the double bass with the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra. A turning point came during his senior year following an appendectomy. Inspired by the care and dedication of the physicians during his hospitalization, Tom decided to pursue a career in medicine.
Though awarded a coveted appointment to Annapolis U.S.Naval Academy, Tom was disqualified due to color-blindness. Instead, he chose to attend Carleton College in Northfield, MN on full scholarship, where he embarked on a transformative journey. While there, his most cherished discovery was in art history class—where he fell in love with both art history and the effervescent Nancy Josephine Jordan. The two were married shortly after graduation, beginning a devoted partnership and extraordinary love story, having just celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary.
Tom remained deeply connected to Carleton throughout his life, serving on the Alumni Council and receiving the Alumni Exceptional Service Award in 2011. Tom earned his medical degree from the Northwestern University School of Medicine. He then completed an internship at the University of Colorado, Denver, followed by residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Cardio-Pulmonary at Stanford University. After that, he served as a captain in the military as Chief of the Cardio-Pulmonary Division at the Andrew’s Air Force Hospital in Washington, D.C. After completing his military duty, Tom and Nancy returned to Palo Alto with their family, where he joined the Menlo Medical Clinic. He practiced as a partner there for 32 years until his retirement in 2000. Dr. Fiene became a cornerstone of the local medical community, serving also as an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, a role he continued serving for many years after retiring from practice. Renowned by his peers, students, and patients for his extraordinary diagnostic skills, bedside manner, and teaching abilities, Tom touched the lives of everyone he met with his profound compassion, brilliant mind, and deep dedication to serving others. Dr. Fiene was widely admired not only for his clinical expertise, but for his fierce advocacy for underserved populations and community service. Beginning in 2009, he volunteered as a teacher at the Stanford Pacific Free Clinic in San Jose, bringing quality healthcare to vulnerable communities while inspiring generations of Stanford medical students to recognize and serve those in need. He served on the Stanford Hospital Biomedical Ethics Committee, providing wise counsel on complex cases involving transplants, end-of-life care, and advocacy for homeless patients. Tom also generously contributed his leadership to community organizations, serving on the boards of Channing House, the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, and the Portola Valley Ranch Association. In 2013, he was honored with the Avenidas Lifetime Achievement Award for his exemplary professional and volunteer contributions to the community. Beyond his remarkable career, Tom’s greatest joy was his friends and family. He and Nancy created a warm, loving home and raised three daughters and a son who brought endless pride to his life. He filled his children’s lives with fun and adventure - hiking, camping, backpacking, boating and visits to the beach. While the kids were off collecting seashells, he would carefully mix plaster so they could make sand castings. At Christmas, he meticulously constructed gingerbread houses from panels baked by Nancy for the children to decorate. He hand stenciled beautiful Christmas cards. He also crafted beautifully handmade toys like dollhouses with electricity and puppet theaters. Having grown up working on farms, he loved gardening and developed a passion for the art of bonsai—carefully nurturing 16 trees grown from seedlings. He also managed the community vineyard at their home in Portola Valley, learning how to craft Cabernet. Traveling was another passion shared by Tom and Nancy. They traveled to all corners of the globe, with great interest in the many aspects of the places they visited — the history, politics, traditions, art, geology, and food. They had an insatiable appetite for learning and loved attending lectures at Stanford. They were voracious readers and active in multiple book clubs. Tom is survived by his daughters, Julie Fiene Yeager, MD (husband Fabian Yeager), Sarah Fiene, and Kate Wray; his son, Thomas Fiene, Jr.; his five cherished grandchildren, Jordan Doscher Yeager (wife, Katie Selin), Austen Roxanne Yeager (husband, Edward Toumayan), Brooks Fabian Thomas Yeager, Gavin Thomas Wray (wife, Alex Roberts), Madison Helene Wray; and his great-granddaughter, Olivia Elise Wray. Tom lived a life defined by warmth, integrity, service, and devotion to his loved ones. His legacy as a healer, mentor, friend, husband, and father will live on in the countless lives he enriched. He moved through the world with genuine empathy, humility, humor and care for everyone around him. He made a lasting impression on all who crossed his path.