MC&MCA lost a good friend earlier this month. Below is Tom Warner’s obituary. We send our condolences to his family.

Warner, Thomas Jay Age 71, of Edina, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, February 4, less than a year after a cancer diagnosis. Born Sept. 12, 1951 in OH, Tom spent most of his childhood in Scottsdale, AZ, where he became an Eagle Scout at a very young age. He went on to graduate from The Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, CA. While in CA, he acquired a love of the ocean, surfing, sailing, scuba diving, and serving as a lifeguard. His free spirit drew him to FL, and then to Minneapolis, where he met the love of his life, Sue. When their eyes met from across the room, they immediately knew they were fated to be together. Tom and Sue married in 1977, and welcomed their children, Kelly, Natalie, and John. Together, Tom and Sue started MN Concrete Specialties in 1992, and have worked side by side ever since. Between his endless hobbies, interests, and collections, Tom was incapable of being bored. He commonly had his eyes down towards the ground, hunting for agates on the North Shore, or adding to his collection of arrowheads, stamps, coins, seashells, or driftwood – journaling the stories behind each along the way – what he called “ciphering.” More than anything, Tom loved spending time with his family. He relished trips to the Black Hills and the Badlands with John, time at the family cabin in Brainerd, and later Aitkin, camping in WY and MT, trips to Mexico, and sharing the North Shore with his granddaughters. Affectionately known as “Poppy” by his grandkids, he was fun, loving, and infinitely reliable. Tom was a natural teacher; he enjoyed sharing his wealth of knowledge that ranged from mastering the art of grilling chicken wings to finding the best spots to pan for gold. He was a master storyteller, who skillfully blurred the line between reality and fiction, and loved to prank anyone he could. Tom is preceded in death by parents, Ray and Margaret; brother, Lee; and step-grandson, Duncan Gigerich. He will be infinitely missed by his beloved wife of 45 years, Sue; children, Tom Jr., Kelly (David) Gigerich, Natalie (Morgan) Azbill, John Warner (Aly Haefner); grandchildren, Annabelle, Abby (and their father, Tom Duff), Marley, Bennett, Dirk, Adeline, Miles, Taylor and Ryan; brother, Mark (Trudy Ulstead) Warner; and many other relatives and friends. A celebration of Tom’s life will be held on Wed., Feb. 22, at 3:00pm at Braemar Golf Course – 6364 John Harris Dr., Edina; gathering to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations to the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation are encouraged. nplsf.org.