Dr. Anton Arnold Vreede

On August 31, 2016 Dr. Anton (Tom) A. Vreede passed away in Charleston, SC after a long battle with cancer. He was 86 years young and certainly lived a long and full life. He would be the first person to tell you this. Tom was known for his dry wit, strong will, matter of fact nature, and philanthropic side. He had a 'twinkle' in his eye. He was an academic, and had managed at age 5 to talk himself into a more advanced grade at another school because he thought the school was not as strict as the one he was in. He was also known to have 'borrowed' a tram car in Holland during his university days, and loved his time in the Royal Dutch Navy and the Nereus rowing club. He grew up during World War II and shared his family stories with all that met him. Tom would be the first person to show up at the hospital if you were ill, translate medical jargon for those who were not in the field and battling an illness, feed your children too much ice cream, or would drop in for a cup of tea to share stories. His family referred to him as a Renaissance man. He was a vascular surgeon, professor, naval officer, Olympic athlete (rower), tennis player, philanthropist, artist, friend, collector, Gibbes board member, husband, brother, father, grandfather (Opa), lover of classical music, history, and particularly the visual arts. He set very high standards for himself and expected the same from those around him. Most of all he was a true Dutchman. His humor, love, and stoic nature will be missed most of all by those that knew him. He wanted not to be mourned but for people to laugh, enjoy their lives, and make a difference in their communities. Tom had a General and Vascular Surgery practice in Binghamton from 1967 until retirement in 1995.He is survived by his wife (Caroline), daughter (Janneke), son-in-law (Justin), step-son (Victor), and grandchildren (Gabriella, Ava, Sienna, and Oceania), as well as his family in the Netherlands whom he loved dearly.The family asks that in lieu of flowers please make a donation to Hospice of Charleston. A celebration of his life is being planned for October.