Thomas Hennessy

Thomas R. (Bob) Hennessy, 94, of Lewiston, died peacefully on May 28, 2026. He was a great man. Born on August 1, 1931, in Winona, Minnesota, Bob was the second son of Bernard Sr. and Anna (Axness) Hennessy. He grew up on a farm in Hart Township, Winona County, Minnesota, where he cultivated a deep love for family, faith, community and his country. It was on the same farm his great-grandfather, Irish immigrant Patrick Hennessy Homesteaded in 1856, which remains in the family to this day.

Bob attended Cotter High School in Winona, staffed by the Christian Brothers who urged him to attend De La Salle Juniorate, a boarding school for the formation of Christian Brothers in Glencoe, Missouri, where he graduated in 1948 at the age of 16. He moved home, worked at the Wyattville Country Store while attending Winona State College where he courted Cynthia J. (Mitzie) Boynton; however, their courtship was interrupted when he was drafted into the United States Army. It was 1951 and The Korean War had commenced.

After boot camp, because of his excellence in mathematics, he was assigned an MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) of Forward Observer. As a new member of the 24th Infantry Division, it was no secret that the life expectancy of a Forward Observer was short. He felt that he was going to Korea to die.

While waiting to be deployed to Korea, his unit was waiting in Japan. Command asked for volunteers who could type. Because he had been trained to type in high school, he volunteered and was tested. He could type 88 words per minute! He was immediately assigned to Battalion Headquarters as a clerk. He excelled and with an aging, retiring Sergeant Major, he assumed responsibilities far beyond his rank. As a Private, he was conferred the rank, through battlefield promotions, of Acting Sergeant Major (normally, a 20-year track) and excelled, where he received the Meritorious Service Citation, conferred on him by two Generals. In a letter to his parents, Bob wrote, “If I’ve been able to do it in the Army, I should be able to do okay in civilian life.” He had no idea how prophetic those words were.

Upon his return home, he resumed his studies at Winona State in accounting. He and Mitzie resumed their courtship and were married on July 27, 1955, and soon began an amazing family that has turned into one of his lasting legacies. Bob took a part time job as bookkeeper for a fledgling company in Lewiston called Camera Art. The business, however, was struggling. The founder gave up and left town. The local investors, then, asked Bob to learn the business and run the company. He agreed. Under his leadership, the company flourished and he soon acquired all outstanding shares. Camera Art grew to be one of the largest school picture and professional finishing companies in the United States and beyond.

In 1974, Bob sold Camera Art but remained President and General Manager until 1981. After “retiring,” he remained in banking and investing for many years and throughout his life was deeply involved in the community and St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Lewiston. Bob and Mitzie loved the desert and for many years they spent winters at their homes, first in Phoenix and later in Las Vegas. Children, grandchildren and community, however, always pulled them back to Lewiston.

Bob is survived by his wife, Cynthia J. (Mitzie); his children, Mary (Cornelius, deceased) Powell, Jon (Patricia) Hennessy; Jay (Jacquelyn “Jacquie”) Hennessy, Jeffrey Hennessy; Julie Hennessy; Joel (Jodi) Hennessy; siblings, Gerald “Jerry” (Noreen) Hennessy; Audrey Gilbert; 19 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Bernard Sr. and Anna (Axness) Hennessy; his brothers, Bernard Jr. and Michael Hennessy; his brother-in-law, Joe (Audrey) Gilbert; and his son-in-law, Cornelius (Mary) Powell, Jr.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Lewiston, MN from 4pm to 7pm. The funeral service will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Lewiston, MN at 11am, with visitation beginning at 10am.

Burial will take place at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Cemetery in Lewiston.

Reception / Celebration of Life to follow at St. Rose of Lima Parish Hall.

Funeral services will be livestreamed. To watch remotely, please follow the link below:

https://together.oneroomstreaming.com/UYP8EN 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating assisting in the completion of The TR Hennessy Center for Fitness, Wellness and Cognitive Health under construction at The Crossings Center in Lewiston. Please use the link below to donate (Please note that you will need to scroll to the bottom of CrossingsCenter home page for the Donation link):

https://www.crossingscenter.com/