Tommy C. Kalina, 88, of Bowman, ND, passed away on June 8, 2019 at the Southwest Healthcare Hospital in Bowman.

Mass of Christian Burial for Tommy will be on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. Charles Catholic Church in Bowman. Fr. Paul Eberle will officiate with burial to follow in the Bowman Cemetery. There will be a Rosary and Vigil Service on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at the St. Charles Catholic Church beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Tommy, the youngest of 13 siblings, was born July 12th 1930 in Bowman to honest hardworking parents, Joe & Mary Kalina. He grew up on the family farm, where his mama sold strawberries to help buy extra land, and where he too worked hard on the land ranching at his father's side. He knew the meaning of a hard day's work. He attended school at Hart primarily but also had a short stint in Los Angeles, and always remembered that "big city experience". He preferred Bowman. After studies, Tommy like most people simply did what was needed to make a living. He was determined and smart – worked on repairs on grain elevators, toiled in the sun with a thrashing bee. In 1959 he proudly worked on the amazing Haley Dam construction, running scrapers & driving gravel trucks. On Sept. 24th, 1952, he was lucky enough to take his high school sweetheart's hand, Eileen Vatne and spent 67 incredible years with her. He brought his bride home to the family farm that Tommy took over from his father, and they made priceless memories. There, they brought two children into the world, Connie Jean and Jason Thomas. There, the two of them worked the land and through sun and snow, succeeded. Tommy was proud of his family and loved them dearly. When Tommy was young he told stories of "seeing those beautiful black cows" and it was his dream to have them. That he did, and in 1955, Tommy bought his first herd of Angus Cattle from the Jorgensons. He built his herd up proudly, sold yearling angus bulls at Baker Livestock for over 25 years, until his retirement in 1998. This farm was an epicenter of family and friends and much laughter and life filled memories were made there. Tommy loved having company out at the farm; great conversation and Old Milwaukee were generously shared. We all knew that Tommy started any good story with, "Can I have the floor?" and the ending to those stories was always the same: "Yep, what a wonderful life". He was a man of great faith; he lived by his rosary, praying for all his loved ones. As such, he was honoured to be the Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus Bowman Council. Tommy is loved in a way that many don't ever get to experience. Truly. We bow our head to him in honour; he really lived his life on his terms, and to the fullest. May the Lord welcome him with the warmest of embraces. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, 12 siblings and daughter Connie. He is survived by his wife Eileen, his son Jason (Deb), granddaughter Sonia (Benoit) Fleck, grandson Jonathon (Saori) Fleck and grandchildren Eli and Emma.