Thomas M. Hearne Jr.

Thomas Myers Hearne, Jr., 79, of Bonita Springs, Fla. and Maple Grove, Minn., died March 27, 2023 after a long battle with heart disease. Born in Boston, Mass. on June 3, 1943, Tom was the son of Dr. Thomas Myers Hearne, Sr. and Verona Kobe (Pauling) Hearne. Verona died of breast cancer when Tom was a young child. Tom Sr. remarried Jean Harrington Hearne who was a loving stepmother to Tom. He graduated from Melrose High School in Melrose, Mass. in 1961. Tom earned a BA degree with honors in mathematics from Clark University in Worcester, Mass. in 1965. He began graduate studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., and received a Ph.D. there in 1969. His doctoral dissertation, “On the Finite Group 2(F4(2)),” explored set theory. He started his career as a math professor at Indiana University, Bloomington and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he met his wife, graduate student Leanne Christensen of Hurley, S.D. Tom and Leanne were married on September 6, 1975, on the Christensen family farm. He went on to earn his MBA from The University of Tennessee in 1976. His first role in his new business career was with the national accounting firm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. He held accounting and finance positions at several companies, including ending his career as Chief Financial Officer of Check Technology Corporation. Tom and Leanne had two sons, Jim and Mike. They lived in Tennessee, Minnesota, California, Illinois, and, after retirement, Florida. In each new place, they quickly made deep and lifelong friends. Tom loved spending time playing games and enjoying food and wine with friends and family. After retiring, he volunteered to prepare taxes for low-income taxpayers in California and Minnesota. Tom loved teaching his grandkids to play chess, Uno, and other games. Tom was highly curious and intelligent, deeply feeling, playful, funny, and a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Tom was preceded in death by his parents Thomas Myers Hearne Sr. and Verona Kobe Hearne, stepmom Jean H. Hearne, and sister Dorothy (Dot) Pauling Sundstrom and her husband Roy Sundstrom. Tom is survived by his wife Leanne Hearne, sons Jim Hearne and Mike Hearne, Mike’s wife Alli Stolper Hearne, and their children Sam Hearne and Hannah Hearne. He is also survived by his sister Shirley Hearne Franchi, brother Peter Hearne and his wife Martita, brother David Hearne and his wife Libby, and lots of nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life for Tom will follow at a later date. Donations may be made to the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. To sign his guest register or to leave online condolences please visit www.ShikanyFuneralHome.com. Arrangments are being handled by Shikany's Bonita Funeral Home and Crematory Family Owned and Operated Since 1978.

Thomas M. Hearne Jr.

June 3, 1943 - March 27, 2023