Tom Mee
Posted By Ballard Sunder Funeral Home On December 2, 2016 @ 5:38 pm In 2016,Obituaries | 18 Comments
Tom Mee, of Prior Lake, passed away peacefully on December 2, 2016 at the age of 88. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 4:00 – 8:00 PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Prior Lake. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 11:00 AM with visitation from 9:30 – 11:00 AM at St. Michael Catholic Church in Prior Lake. Father Tom Walker will preside and Tom’s grandsons will act as urn bearers. Tom will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.
On July 12, 1928, Thomas Arthur Mee was born to James and Claire Mee. He was an active boy, and at a young age, Tom discovered baseball. He was a great shortstop, and loved to play. Soon baseball was Tom’s biggest passion, and it played a very important role throughout his entire life.
After graduating from Cretin High School, Tom enlisted in the United State Army. He was stationed in Yokohama, Japan until he was honorably discharged in 1947. During his service, Tom played for the Army’s baseball team, and his love for the game grew deeper. Following his discharge, Tom returned to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota where he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He also played for the Golden Gophers baseball team and started a long line of Gopher ballplayers in his family. After school, Tom played in the Minor Leagues for the Cleveland Indians franchise.
Soon after retiring as a ballplayer, Tom moved to Montana. It was in Montana that he met his wife, Noreene, a teacher and Minnesota native. The two exchanged wedding vows in Noreene’s hometown, Effie, Minnesota on June 12, 1954. After their honeymoon, they returned to Lewistown, Montana, where Tom was a radio disc jockey and sportscaster.
Next, Tom’s work brought them to Clovis, New Mexico where he worked as a disc jockey, sportscaster and TV weatherman. They made many wonderful friends and started their family there. In 1957, the Mees moved back to Minnesota when Tom was offered a position with the Triple A St. Paul Saints. Tom and Noreene were happy to be back home to raise their family. They were blessed with six wonderful children, Tom, Jr., Terri, John, Tim, Joe and Liz. When the kids were young, Tom passed on his love for baseball to the entire family. The boys loved playing baseball with their dad and all of the neighborhood kids. Tom was all-time pitcher for the neighborhood. He made sure every kid in the neighborhood played and had a good time.
When the Twins came to town, and Tom was the first employee for the club. He worked as the Public Relations Director for the Minnesota Twins for 30 years. In addition to his PR duties, he filled in on Twins radio and TV broadcasts, doing over 200 games. Tom was fond of saying, “I didn’t go to work every day, I went to my hobby.” During his career with the Twins, Tom was awarded the Robert O. Fishel Award for Excellence in Public Relations, The Herb Carneal Lifetime Achievement Award and, in 2013 was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. He was also the unofficial American representative for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Tom was known for his kindness and gentleness and was frequently complimented as “such a nice guy.” He treated everyone equally no matter if you were a broadcaster for a national network or a small town reporter. He worked very hard throughout his life, and he loved every minute of it. After retiring in 1991, Tom became the official scorer for the Twins. He did that for 17 years. Although baseball was Tom’s favorite past time, he also had other hobbies. He enjoyed golf, organizing weekly rounds for a group of friends. He booked the weekly rounds and kept the stats for each golfer. Tom though, mostly enjoyed spending time with his family. Tom was a faithful Catholic.
About a year ago, Tom suffered from a stroke, and he never fully recovered. On Friday, December 2, 2016, Tom went to be with the Lord. He had spent his last few days surrounded by the family that he loved so much.
Tom will be deeply missed and remembered always by his wife, Noreene; children, Tom Jr. (Jane), Terri Hermanson, John, Tim (Vicki), Joe (Cyndi), and Liz (Darryl) Scott; grandchildren, Tom Mee III, Mike (Anne) Mee, Christy Hermanson, Jenny Hermanson, Andrea Mee, Kevin Mee, Travis Mee, A. J. Mee, Kinsey Mee, Casey Scott, Ryan Scott and Chris Scott; Great-granddaughters, Gabby, Paige and Grace; sister, Mary Beth Mee; other loving relatives and friends.
There to greet Tom in Heaven is his son-in-law, Ken Hermanson; brothers, Jim Mee and Mike Mee; and many dear friends.
Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation proudly serves the Mee family. www.BallardSunderFuneral.com
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Sorry to see that your father has passed away. I went to Pius with Tim and my brother knew Tom and Theresa. My father-in-law is a resident at Mala Strana and I would see your father’s name on the resident board regularly, and wished him well in my thoughts when I saw it. His visit from Tony Oliva still brings a smile to my father-in-law and many others there.
My thoughts and prayers are with all your family today.
Vicki Holm (Claude)
I have been fortunate for the last 34 years to call John Mee my friend. His loss is my loss. I was lucky enough to meet Mr Mee many years ago and found his passion about his family and his game of baseball infectious. As I told John, the highest compliment a man can get is “he was a good man”, and he surely was. He also had a life many can only dream of, earning a living doing something he loved. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family.
Noreene and family,
Sincere condolences on Tom’s passing…he had a great life and has a wonderful family. It was a pleasure to be in his company during my time with the Twins. Dedicated,professional and always pleasant in dealing with us players who could be arrogant and self centered at times!!!
Noreene, you were always so friendly and engaging to me. I’m happy,to have been a part of the Twins and a friend of Tom’s during the “Good old days”!!
Jim
Noreene and family,
I can only smile when I think of the Mee family and the Prior Lake neighborhood that my parents enjoyed so much. Tom was always so patient and gracious in getting Twins tickets for my bargain-hunting dad, and YOU were a saint to put up with Dad’s antics when he was selling the house. Tom was a good man and he lived life so very well. I love that you were all such a warm part of my parents lives, and I am heartened to think of the old neighborhood gang gathering up there in heaven. I wish you comfort and as much joy as you can muster from this season of hope and promise and, for you, goodbyes. God bless you all, and God bless dear Tom.
Ray and I are very sorry for your loss. Tom was a good man and the two of you raised a family to be proud of. He will be missed.
Noreene,
On my mother’s behalf, I offer my sincere condolence for the loss of your beloved Tom. May he rest in peace.
Our deepest sympathies to your family on the loss of Tom. Rodney and I were a host family in Algona this past summer to the Bancroft Bandit’s team. Chris lived just two houses away and spent a good portion of his “down time” in our garage with AJ. I enjoyed hearing Chris’s stories of this baseball background and about his grandfather. I was glad that they got to come up to Minnesota a few times to visit! Please know that we are praying for you and I know that Tom’s legacy will be cherished my so many!
Jean and Rodney Davis
I am so sorry to hear the news of Tom’s passing. I worked with Noreen for many years back in the 80s and got to know Tom very well. He is a wonderful person that has made this earth a better place by his presence. He will be missed by many. RIP Tom.
Our hearts go out to your family in your great loss. So many wonderful memories of our years in Prior Lake and our connections with the Mee family. God bless you all!
P.S. We are now in Arkansas and will unable to attend services, but our thoughts and prayers will be with you.
Tom was one of the finest persons I have ever known. I viewed him as a role model of how to be a public relations person. There are very few people in this world who, when you hear their name, you instantly smile. Tom was one of those people. Deepest sympathies to the family.
Our deepest sympathy to Tom’s family. Even tho we have only met 3 of you so far, I feel like we are family. We hosted Chris this past summer at our house when he played for the Bancroft Bandits. Noreen, you and one of your sons brought him to Bancroft when we picked him up. It was so nice to meet you. Chris had an enormous heart for baseball which I’m sure he got from his grandpa, Tom. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree there! I hope to meet the rest of Chris’s family someday soon. Thoughts and prayers are with you all. Heaven gained an amazing baseball angel.
Nancy Robertson very sorry for your loss. Tom was a great guy
Noreene and family,
I am sorry for the pain you feel at the lose of Tom. He is a wonderful person! I remember seeing him at the ball park all the time and he always had a smile on his face. I am sure that he is having a blast in heaven reuniting with so many friends and I bet they are all playing a game of baseball. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you all
6 years late but I remember when Tom took Tom Jr. and a group of friends including me to a Twins game for Tom Jr.’s 9th birthday. We got to peak into the dugout shortly before the game. I saw Sam Mele, Jim Kaat, Tony O, Harmon and Sandy Valdespino who patted us all on the head and said “you nice boy” .
Thanks for the forever memory.
I had the pleasure of playing Monday golf with Tom for several years. He was always a joy to be around. He was a true gentleman and will be sorely missed.
My deepest sympathy to Tom’s family,
I got to know Tom when I worked for the Toronto Blue Jays back in the 1980s. Road trips to the Metrodome were always a treat because of the way that Tom treated everyone including myself. He was a kind, gentle man with a thorough knowledge baseball and was the epitome of professionalism. RIP – Tom
Noreen and family, It is with sincere sympathy that I offer you and your family on Tom’s passing. I am so privileged to have met you and Tom and remembering all the fun times we had in AZ. Tom was such a good story teller and sense of humor with his one liners I will never forget. He was one of a kind.
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To the Mee Families,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. It is never easy to say goodbye to our loved one. Please remember to share all you memories of your Husband, Dad, Grandfather to get through this difficult time.