Hammon "Tom" Becken

Hammon (Tom) Thorwald Becken was called to be with his Heavenly Father on May 5, 2025, passing peacefully while surrounded by his loving family. A man of faith and high integrity who valued hard work, community and family, Tom leaves behind a legacy as a highly-driven and accomplished business and community leader as well as a loving husband, brother, father, grandfather and friend.

Tom was born May 15, 1936 in St. Paul, MN as the oldest of 6 children. He graduated from Harding High School in 1954, and attended Valparaiso University before returning to Minnesota in 1957 to work for the family-owned and operated ready-mix concrete company started by his grandfather. He would continue working at Cemstone and TCC Materials for more than 68 years, leading the construction materials business as President, CEO and eventually Chairman of the Board.

Tom was a member of the first-ever class at Gethsemane Lutheran School in Maplewood, Minnesota where, years later, he met his future wife, Kay, when she was a teacher there. His lifelong connection to Gethsemane Lutheran Church, closely tied to the school, was a cornerstone of his faith journey. Intertwined with his faith, Tom's relentless work ethic, high principles and strong character were foundational to his numerous accomplishments as a businessman and leader. A true "east sider," Tom cared passionately for and gave generously to his community, to ensure it remained strong and vibrant. He was devoted to board work, serving on the St. John's Hospital/Healtheast Board of Directors, and the Ramsey County Fair Board of Directors, as well as industry boards including Aggregate and Ready Mix Association (ARM) and National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA). He loved being part of the Winter Carnival Vulcans, highlighted by his role as Vulcanus Rex in 1979. Tom was also a proud and faithful supporter of 4H, the Lions, Concordia Academy, Northwestern College, St. Olaf College, several nature-based preservation centers, and countless other organizations that aligned with his values.

Tom's unwavering commitment to the concrete industry and leadership in growing Cemstone and TCC Materials - now in its 5th generation of family ownership and operation - solidified the company's reputation in concrete innovation and drove its expansion throughout the Upper Midwest and nationally. Tom served in numerous industry associations, sharing his knowledge and experience to help those around him succeed, too. Some of Tom's most notable recognition included receiving the Distinguished Member of the Builder's Exchange (1999), Lifetime Achievement Award from Aggregate and Ready Mix Association (2000), the William B. Allen Award from National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (2012), the Family Business Award from Twin Cities Business (2015) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Associated General Contractors (2019).

Tom cared deeply about people, and his actions perfectly reflected what was most important to him; he loved work, not motivated by personal gain, but so that he could provide for and create opportunities for other people. In between his work, he enjoyed spending time working on projects at his home on the North Shore, and also loved spending time in Florida, with his mom Sally, Kay, his children and their families, as well as dear friends. Through the years, he was an avid biker and enjoyed skiing and boating. Tom enjoyed road trips with Kay, to visit her relatives in southwest Minnesota. He particularly enjoyed traveling with his family, hosting several memorable vacations with his children and grandchildren together as a group, including experiences both nationally and internationally, even traveling to Norway to meet his relatives. His grandchildren deeply respected and admired Tom, and were blessed by his generosity, sly sense of humor and genuine love for each one of them and their unique interests and talents.

Whenever we see the signature "Cemstone blue" concrete trucks rolling down the road or the crisp American flag waving proudly in the wind, we'll remember Tom's legacy - a testament to his strong character, attention to detail, and unwavering belief that hard work paves the way for opportunity.

Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Thor and Sally, brothers and sisters David, Harvey, Sallyann and Linda, as well as Karen Becken (Sweitzer). Tom is survived by his wife of 57 years, Kay, brother Steve Becken (Jean), brother-in-law Bill Rentschler (Diane), children Heidi Lundahl (Don), Thor Becken (Jane), Tim Becken (Roxane), Jennifer Reinhard (Scott), Eric Becken (Heidi), grandchildren Emily, Ryan, Anne (Mike), Erica (Matthew), Thomas, Megan, Jonah, Benjamin, Katherine, Claire, Maia, Cecilia and Henry, and great-grandchild William.

A special thank you to the doctors and nursing staff at the Trauma unit at Regions Hospital, who took extraordinary care of Tom to ensure his final days of life were peaceful and dignified, absent of pain and focused on time with his loving family.

Visitation is scheduled from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church (2410 Stillwater Rd. E., Maplewood, MN 55119). A memorial service in Tom's honor will be held May 15, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, with luncheon to follow at Inwood Oaks Event Center (484 Inwood Avenue N., Oakdale, MN 55128). Livestream of the memorial service will also be available for viewing at Inwood Oaks Event Center. Private family interment to follow the luncheon. 

Memorials preferred to Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Concordia Academy (Roseville) Endowed Scholarship and Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities.