Meet Lenny Dobens
We’d like to introduce you to our father, Lenny Dobens.
Lenny was born on November 16, 1932 in Nashua, New Hampshire, the youngest of three boys. When he was just a toddler, Lenny, along with his two older brothers, was sent to live at the Daniel Webster Home for Children (formerly the New Hampshire Orphan’s Home) when their parents could no longer provide for them. Once there, he was immediately separated from his brothers due to his young age and went on to spend the seasons of his childhood isolated from his family. When he turned sixteen, Lenny “aged out” of the facility, for all practical purposes, deemed an adult. As he set foot out into the real world that day, no one would have batted an eye if he had grown into a sad, depressed or embittered young man. But Lenny pulled a fast one! Despite a desperately lonely childhood without the basic needs of a family’s love and support, Lenny beat the odds. He emerged a bright, enthusiastic young man filled to the brim with confidence, and a desire to make a difference in the world. As time went on, his big heart, caring nature, and million-dollar smile continued to bubble to the surface, leading his peers to name him class president of the Nashua High School Class of 1951.
”His teachers at his high school were so inspired by his optimism and perpetual spirit that when they learned that he was the first in his family to ever graduate from the eighth grade, they personally took up a collection to help pay for Lenny’s college tuition.
The legend of “Lenny Dobens” was born.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force as a Russian linguist during the Korean War, Lenny proudly earned his bachelor’s degree in business at the University of New Hampshire while working for New York Life Insurance Company, a “company he kept” his entire 55 year career. He fell in love with his career and devoted his life to building a successful business with the goal of helping the seniors of New Hampshire better understand the complicated process of Medicare supplement insurance. It was his personal motto to “do something good for someone in need” that made him successful and drew people to him in droves. He was beloved by his clients, the majority of whom he considered his “family” – perhaps filling that most basic need of the little boy who grew up without one.
Never was his devotion to his clients on display more than when Lenny was in his hospital bed in the critical care unit of Mass General Hospital, dependent on a heart pump to keep him alive. As he sat, propped up in bed on oxygen, he was determined to make sure his clients were taken care of, personally sorting through paperwork and answering messages just days before succumbing to heart disease in 2014.
We can think of no better way to carry on the legacy of our father, Lenny Dobens, who founded his company based upon the simple principle of helping others. That’s the true measure of a man who genuinely loved what he did and the people he did it for. It has become our singular mission to carry his spirit forward as we usher his beloved company into a new era.
Sincerely,
Dorrie and Charlie Dobens
Our Medicare Supplement Agents
Licensed in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Charles and Dorothy Dobens’ diverse, professional backgrounds are the perfect complement to one another as they strive to provide the highest level of customer service to their clients. Their compassion, expertise and strong work ethic ensures that The Lenny Dobens Agency remains the premiere agency for Medicare Supplement Insurance in New Hampshire.
Dorothy Dobens, RN, BSN
Medicare Supplement Agent
Dorrie brings a unique perspective to the Medicare supplement insurance business. As a registered nurse with expertise in kidney care research, she has seen all too often the intense struggle patients feel when trying to balance the burdens of managing their illnesses along with affording their care. It is with this level of compassion and empathy that motivates Dorrie to ensure that each client of the Lenny Dobens Agency feels supported, understood and well-cared for. Providing the right Medicare supplement plan to her clients is her top priority. In addition to being a Registered Nurse, Dorrie is a licensed insurance broker in NH, MA and ME and is responsible for the overall direction of The Lenny Dobens Agency. When not in the office, Dorrie is either in St.Pete, FL playing with her 4 grandchildren- Molly, Henry, Finley and Archie, or traveling the world with her husband and their cameras.
Charles Dobens, JD
Medicare Supplement Agent
Before beginning his law career, Charlie learned from the best, working alongside his father in the insurance business. He returns now to ensure that the values that made his father one of the largest and most respected Medicare Supplement agents in NH continue on. As managing member and corporate counsel, Charlie ensures that the Lenny Dobens Agency maintains the highest standards of business practices and product offerings. Charlie is a licensed NH insurance broker and a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association. When not in the office, you can find Charlie on the golf course or amidst the clouds in his RV10.
Sheila Shaw
Office Manager/Director of First Impressions
In many ways, Sheila is the cornerstone of the Lenny Dobens Agency keeping the office in line and humming. She’s the agency’s ace-in-the-hole with greeting clients, organizing paperwork and streamlining the many processes to make the agency run as efficiently as possible. She also works at ensuring client needs are met at every level.
Giving back to our community
The Lenny Dobens Memorial Scholarship
We were proud to honor our father with the establishment of The Lenny Dobens Memorial Scholarship Fund in which $5,465 was donated by those who loved him. 100% of the money raised in this fund was directed to help the underprivileged children of The Nashua Children’s Home further their education. In this spirit, this effort honors Lenny’s resilience, his generosity and altruism in giving back to his community.
If you would like to continue to honor his memory, your tax-deductible contributions can be made to:
David Villiotti, Executive Director
Nashua Children’s Home
125 Amherst Street
Nashua, NH 03064
or electronically by clicking here.