Thomas Lawrence 'Tom' Hennes, 54

Thomas Lawrence "Tom" Hennes passed away peacefully in the company of friends early Saturday morning, Aug. 20, 2005, in Kalispell. He was 54. Tom contracted a rare form of skin cancer in January of this year. After the most formidable strides to overcome his illness, Tom's physical self could no longer match his fervent desire to live on.

Tom was born in St. Cloud, Minn., on April 22, 1951, the third child of Lawrence F. Hennes and Gertrude R. (Jagielski) Hennes (d. 05/30/02).

Tom is survived by his father; six siblings, Richard, Patty, Mary (Hennessey), Fred, Theresa (Anderson), and Catherine (Lucente); four siblings-in-law; seven nephews; five nieces; and six great-nieces.

Tom's family moved often when he was young. He spent his childhood years in the Minnesota towns of St. Cloud, DeGraff and Melrose. Later, the family moved to San Mateo, Calif.; then to Salem, Ore.; and then back again to San Mateo.

As a child, Tom enjoyed the companionship of his older brother, Richard. Together, the boys' rampant imaginations became the backdrops to countless fun-filled adventures upon which, as adults, they recalled for hours with infectious, belly-aching laughter. At a young age, Tom developed a love for the outdoors. Throughout his lifetime, he was an avid fisherman, hunter and sportsman. He thoroughly enjoyed nature and living off the land in a simple, rustic environment, without the accouterments of modern life.

In 1969, Tom graduated from Serra High School in San Mateo, where his father taught for 19 years. Tom continued his education, initially by attending community college, and then at Chico State University in northern California. He took a liking to languages and, in just two semesters, became fluent in German. He also nurtured his natural talent for writing. Throughout his lifetime, he was known for composing the most illustrative, entertaining personal letters, with a style comparable to that of Mark Twain.

Tom moved from Chico to Bailey, Colo. He immediately took a liking to the people he met there. Tom possessed an engaging personality, with a wit that was intoxicating. He became known for his outdoor interests, his generous spirit, and his willingness to help a friend in need. Tom also was known for his captivating diversity of interests and expertise. He could easily find employment in a variety of fields, and he managed to hire his friends when he could. Tom valued the friendships he initiated in both Chico and Colorado - and later in Montana. These individuals became his close-knit family of friends.

In time, Tom moved from Bailey to Arvada, Colo., where he started his own heat-treating and welding business; his shop was located in downtown Denver. He became so prolific that he had little time to pursue his outdoor interests. Since Tom valued his personal freedoms over the trappings of wealth, he opted to forego his successful business. Eventually, he moved back to Bailey and purchased some land in this part of Colorado he loved the most. He found a job as a chef at a local restaurant, where he struck-up a friendship with a waitress named Andrea Mathison that would last forever. The news of his friendship with Andrea resounded throughout each of the personal letters he wrote from that moment onward.

Eventually, both Andrea and a few other of Tom's closest friends decided coincidentally to move to Montana; so Tom sold his land in Bailey and moved to Kalispell. Tom found another job as a chef, at Lake Mary Ronan Lodge. He created a new "Daily Specials" menu for the restaurant, which brought-in many loyal patrons. In time, Tom bought some land in the mountains, above Lake Mary Ronan, which is where he planned to build a home.

Throughout Tom's adult life, he made the most concerted efforts to stay current and connected with his family. He not only wrote letters and telephoned often, but he also took the time to travel, to visit his parents and each of his siblings in their respective homes.

" Tom was a truly great man. He will be sorely missed. May God bless him, as we were blessed to know him."

A funeral mass for Tom will take place at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 3, at Risen Christ Catholic Church, 65 W. Evergreen Drive, in Kalispell. 752-4219.

In lieu of flowers, Tom's family has requested that donations be sent in Tom's name to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center, 310 Sunnyview Lane, Kalispell, MT 59901.