Thomas Gould Kiernan

life story

Husband, Father , Grandpa & Great-Grandpa

Tom was born on March 8th,1945 in Lander, Wyoming to John (Jack) Kiernan and Okal (Kate) Gould Kiernan. Tom’s father died at age 37, when Tom was just 8 years old, after having spent years away from home for his own illness. Tom had only a few memories of his father but held him in high regard.

He was a ranch hand (a real cowboy on his dapple grey horse "Smokey") until he was drafted in February of 1965 into the Army. He went to Vietnam in January of 1966. He had a non-combat injury on July 4th 1966 and was flown to Japan with a severe infection. Later, he went to Fitzsimmons Hospital in Denver, which was opened for Vietnam orthopedic injuries. There he had many operations to save his finger. They finally removed the finger and he was released from the Army in April 1968. He moved to St. Paul, married Jan and had 3 sons, Blake, Terry, & Jonny. He remarried in 1992 to Coni, his wife of 34 years. He worked in the fastener business for 40 years, moving to North Carolina in 1995. He retired in 2008 and moved back to Minnesota to live in Lindstrom for the next 12 years. He didn’t like change, but ended up loving all of his homes and neighbors. He loved golf, remodeling all of his homes with Coni, lapidary, and sports. For 11 years, he played 9 holes of golf 6 days a week with his Lindstrom buddies. In 2014 they bought a home in Mesa, Arizona. That was his happy place and where he pursued his love of rocks. He made beautiful Minnesota-shaped clocks from precious rocks and gave them away to everybody close to him.

In 2020 they moved to Shoreview into a townhome and this is when his cancer journey started. He told people he was “0 for 10” in that journey, having faced a number of ultimately unsuccessful treatments. He was a quiet introvert and an extremely hard worker. He had a sharp wit if you listened and felt most heard in small groups. He was extremely stoic and seldom complained. He was loved by his family and the many neighbors he became close to, and will be dearly missed.

He is preceded in death by son, Terence Kiernan, sister Judy Bowker and brother William Kiernan. He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years Coni, sons Blake (Becky) Kiernan and Jonny (Libby) Kiernan, grandchildren Joe (Keana) Kiernan, Izzi and Hannah Kiernan, great-grandchildren Maverick and Josie Kiernan, and his brothers James and Michael Kiernan.

He will be laid to rest with full honors at Fort Snelling Cemetery. Memorial service info to follow.

memorial service

Memorial service details to follow