Thomas "Tom" Condon

Tom Condon, age 82, of Clara City, Minnesota, passed away Thursday, February 27, 2025 at his home at the Clara City Assisted Living. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 11:00 AM at St. Clara Catholic Church in Clara City. Interment will be at the church cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be held Friday, March 7, 2025 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at the church and will continue on Saturday from 9:30 AM until the service time at the church.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite charity or St. Clara Catholic Church.

Livestream is available at https://www.ourlivingwater.org/tomcondon.html 

Thomas “Tom” Condon was born on May 1, 1942, in Montevideo, Minnesota. He was a proud, life-long member of the Clara City Community. He grew up farming and raising cattle on the farm just outside of Clara City. He attended St. Clara’s Catholic school & later graduated from Clara City High School in 1960. He served in the army reserves in the early 1960’s. On June 6, 1964, Tom married Margaret “Peg” Tait of Kandiyohi. Together, they raised their five children, Bob, Mary, Beth, Mike and Ryan. They taught them to be loving, supportive and respectful adults.

Tom had a very entrepreneurial spirit; he wasn’t just content farming. He took a business that his father, Walter, had started that involved selling livestock equipment, and along with his brother Paul, turned Condon Circle Steel, later called Condon Inc., into a multi-faceted company. Condon Inc. sold and constructed grain equipment, grain bins, concrete grain elevators, and many other grain related items across the United States. He did all this while still farming with Walter, Paul, and son, Bob.

As if that wasn’t enough, Tom decided that he would build a food processing facility, International Grain & Milling, in his hometown, that would employ local people and help the local economy. IGM started by making biodegradable packing materials and eventually evolved into making pretzels for companies like Gardetto’s, for their snack mixes. He had a deep passion for his hometown and was determined to build IGM in Clara City. As he neared retirement, he sold the company, and the facility is still producing food items and employs local people today.

Tom also sold his grain construction business and concentrated on helping Bob continue the family farm operation. In his retirement years, when he wasn’t helping on the farm, he helped a couple other hometown businesses, Thein Well and Vreeman Construction.

Tom’s entrepreneurial blood flowed down into all five branches of his family. All five of his children’s families run their own businesses today. He was very proud of all of them and would call them all often to get the details so that he could share them with his friends.

His thirst for knowledge led him to be savvy with technology, which continued to his last day. He loved to send encouraging text messages, emails, and even snapchats to his friends and family.

Tom was a lifelong member of St. Clara’s Catholic Church in Clara City. He was also a member of the FFA, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Army Reserves and many other groups and organizations throughout the years. He also served on several boards and committees and was a founding member of the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative.

In 2023, Tom moved into assisted living in Clara City. He delighted many who lived there with his quick wit and humor. He was still driving and would usually load his car up with friends from assisted living who wanted to see what was happening in the farming community. He was always willing to drive his buddies to appointments and other outings.

Tom was a fun loving, humble person who could visit with anyone. He was a good husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was extremely proud of each one of them and always made sure he told them that often.

Tom enjoyed attending their sporting or school events throughout the years. He loved to take any opportunity to travel the country with or to see family. He enjoyed daily trips out to the farm to check on progress and visit with the “boys”.

Tom Condon will be deeply missed by his family and friends. He leaves behind a legacy of hard work, fellowship and love. Tom is survived by his five children, Bob (Kathy) Condon of Clara City, Mary Ellison (Scott) of Chicago, Illinois, Beth (Gjon) Prendi of Savage, MN, Mike (Aline) Condon of Shakopee, MN, and Ryan (Amanda) Condon of Waverly, MN, as well as grandchildren: Matt (Stephanie), Shaun (Hailey), Chyanne, Madison, Dominic, Noah, Hope, Tyler, and Lucas. His great grandchildren: Emmett, Ruthie, Maggie, Lucy, Rorie, Tomi, Caine, and Cobee. Tom is also survived by his siblings: Mary Ellen (Condon) and Dennis Murphy, Paul and Becki (Williams) Condon, sister in-law, Ruth (Swenson) Tait; as well as nieces and nephews. Tom was preceded in death by his wife Margaret “Peg” Condon, his parents Walter and Marcella (Pitts) Condon, brother in laws James and Jack, sister-in-law Mary (Tait) Moehring, and his nephew John Tait.

May he rest in peace.