Many people who knew Thomas William Gibson (“Tommy”) remember a generous friend, mentor, and family member. From the age of 13 onward, he had lived with a difficult illness. In spite of that, he had a giving and social presence. As a student at Saint Mary’s University, Tommy was quick to make international students feel at home and show them around Winona. Proud of Winona and generous at heart, Tommy was a donor to many causes in our community. His mother, Ann Gibson, recalls that after he died six years ago, she received multiple donation receipts in the mail from charitable organizations to which he had contributed.
Tommy’s father, also a Tom (Thomas Earl Gibson), created a legacy of generosity, as well. He served the community as a teacher, basketball coach, business owner, and community volunteer. Originally from Chicago, the elder Tom moved to Winona as a college freshman at Saint Mary’s. “He never wanted to leave Winona,” remembers Ann, his wife. Together, he and Ann raised three sons and a daughter. Son Tommy followed in his father’s footsteps as a student at Saint Mary’s, earning a B.A. in Theology and an M.A. in International Business. He worked as a mental health practitioner in the Twin Cities before working in the family business in Winona with his two brothers. A devout Catholic, he was a donor to many causes, especially to faith-based organizations, and had expressed in his lifetime a wish to start a charity of his own.
When Tommy died in 2020 from kidney failure, in keeping with his wish to help others, the family made the decision to establish a donor advised fund in his name using the funds from his estate and memorial gifts. This fund allows his family to continue his legacy and his desire to serve others through charity. Originally called “The TWG Fund” (Thomas William Gibson), it was later renamed the Tom Gibson Memorial Fund to honor both Tommy and his father Tom who died in 2014. The first charitable grant from the fund supported the Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center, and continues to support education and mental well-being initiatives in Winona and beyond. Because the fund is invested, it is able to grow its earnings and act as a charitable saving account.
Above all, the family sees the fund as a way of keeping the memory of both Toms alive. Gifts in the Tom Gibson name support the things they both loved in life, and will continue to enrich our community for years to come.
“Love is how you stay alive even after you’re gone.” – from Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
