Thomas Michael Bohnenstingl

Thomas “Tom” Michael Bohnenstingl of Hanley Falls, Minnesota, passed away Thursday, October 2, 2025 at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, at the age of 65. He suffered from complications of COPD and cardiac arrest, which occurred on Sunday, September 28, 2025. He remained on life support awaiting a transplant recipient until his death.

He was born on June 21, 1960, in Wheaton, Minnesota to Mickey (Beckman) and Allen Bohnenstingl at the Wheaton Community Hospital, their sixth of ten children.

When Tom was eighteen months old, he suffered severe burns over his head, ears and shoulders when a percolator full of hot coffee fell on him. It took quite some time for him to recover and learn how to walk and talk all over again at that young age.

He was raised in Wheaton and attended Wheaton High School where he graduated in 1978. He attended Bemidji State for a short while before moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he worked for K-Mart for many years before being transferred to Marshall, Minnesota. His home there was his pride and joy, and he loved taking care of it and his gardens, as well as his pets. Tom was always a sports fanatic as a child and even as a young teen; he went to great lengths to record statistics of his favorite teams. Among those teams were the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Vikings. In 2008 he suffered a cardiac arrest, had a quadruple bypass and was given a mechanical heart valve. He was forced to retire early due to his health issues.

He will be remembered for his big heart, his genuine friendships and willingness to help anyone in need. He was loyal to those around him and unique as he could be. His heart was always in the right place. Tom loved his family and though he remained single, he was a wonderful, fun-loving uncle to many nieces and nephews. He was proud of his family.

Tom remained on life support until recipients were located and he became an organ donor through Life-Source. Once that decision was made, his brother Joel, was able to raise a donor flag in Tom’s honor to be flown at the North Memorial Hospital. That flag will fly for four days after his donation is complete. He was given a walk of honor as they moved him from North Memorial to the University of Minnesota, and again at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, on his way to the operating room. Tom would have been so honored to know how he was able to help so many people with his gift of organ donation. He is a true hero.

Tom is survived by his siblings: Becky Looker of Miltona, MN; Vicki (Bryan) Alpaugh of Shakopee, MN; Mike (Becky) Bohnenstingl of Nisswa, MN; Joel (Kimberly) Bohnenstingl of Nowthen, MN; Barbara (Jim) Kremer of St. Louis Park, MN; and Chad (Glynis) Bohnenstingl of Brainerd, MN.

He was preceded in death by his father, Allen; sisters: Kathy and Angela; his brother, Mark; nephew, Taylor Bohnenstingl; and most recently, his mother Mickey Schuster.

A private ceremony will be held at a yet to be determined time.