Thomas F. Geren

Born on April 21, 1945, in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Jean Elizabeth and Richard Dallas Geren.

The family moved to Ohio in 1947 and lived in various locations in Continental and Defiance, Ohio then moved to Lincoln Park (Detroit), Michigan in 1950. The family returned to the Minneapolis area in 1953 and ultimately settled in Prior Lake, Minnesota where Tom graduated from Prior Lake High School in 1963. Tom was active as a youth in the Boy Scout program and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He also served on the student council, serving as President his senior year. Tom enjoyed participating in sports and lettered in track and football.

Tom attended the Cleveland Institute of Electronics, Tri-State engineering College the University of Minnesota obtaining degrees in Electronics Technology and Business Administration with a minor in Economics ultimately finishing his education in December 1972.

Tom worked at Control Data, building computers, Univac (Unisys) in the Nike X antimissile program, and Electronic Machinery Manufacturing Company as a field service engineer while pursuing his education at night school.

Upon graduation, Tom accepted position as the Field Engineering Manager at Eagle Signal Corporation and the family moved to Davenport, Iowa. In 1976, the family relocated to Austin, Texas when Eagle Signal moved their traffic control division to Texas.

Tom then held progressively higher positions in Sales, Marketing, Sales Operations & International Customer Service at Motorola Semiconductor Sector, Carroll Touch Systems, Elographics, Cirrus Logic, and Spansion. Tom retired in 2012 but returned to Spansion part-time to serve as President of one of their subsidiaries, finally retiring for good in 2018. Tom resided in Rockport, Texas in his later years with his partner Susan and cats, Freddie and Gizmo. He spent summers in Minnesota with Susan and the cats.

Tom loved animals and was a supporter of a tiger at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and contributed regularly to the ASPCA, various Humane Societies and other animal shelters.

Tom served on the Board of Directors at two different condominium associations, was very active in the Boy Scouts of America as an adult leader at the Cub Scout pack, Boy Scout troop, and district and council levels of the program.

Tom loved to travel and visited all 50 states and many foreign countries in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and Africa. In later years, his cats Freddie and Gizmo accompanied him when he traveled around the USA. Tom was an avid fisherman spending countless days fishing the waters around Rockport, Texas and occasionally actually catching a fish. Tom also enjoyed spending many hours working on his stamp collection.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents Richard and Jean Geren; and his sister Frances Kaye Zabinski. Tom is survived by his partner Susan Senger; sons Jeffrey Paul Geren and James Patrick Geren; Stepdaughter Denise King; and grandchildren Natalee Geren, Jeffrey Geren, Kayla Geren, and Andrew Simons.