1950
Father
2009
Father Tom Agar
April 13, 1950 — May 1, 2009
Father Thomas Patrick Agar died early on Friday evening at the Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula, after a ten week hospital stay. The cause of death was a pulmonary thrombosis.
Fr. Agar was born on April 13th, 1950 to Dwayne C. and Agnes M. Agar in Browns Valley, MN. Prior to being ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Monterey by Bishop Richard Garcia on March 20th of this year, Fr. Tom graduated with his Masters of Divinity in May, 2008 from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, CA. Prior to entering seminary in the fall of 2004, Fr. Tom was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for 25 years in both California (DaVita, Inc.) and in Minnesota with Dakota County Social Services in St. Paul, MN. His social work career began as one of the founders of the Minnesota AIDS Project and he served as their first Director of Social Services. Fr. Tom would later found Shanti Minnesota, another social service agency serving persons living with HIV and AIDS.
Other education included receipt of a Masters in Social Work from St. Thomas University and the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul. He received his undergraduate degree from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN and he was a member of the Browns Valley High School Class of 1968, in Browns Valley, MN.
Fr. Tom was active in the recovery community for 32 years. He was actively involved in the Mankind Project and the Men’s Tribe and for several years extensively involved with Landmark Education in both the Twin Cities in MN and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Fr. Tom was also recently made a lifetime honorary member of the Knights of Columbus.
Fr. Tom leaves to mourn his six brothers: Dennis (Peg), Minnetonka, MN; Richard, West Palm Beach, FL; David (Penny), Fergus Falls, MN; Dannel (Lynn), Golden, CO; Rev. Tim Agar, Reston, VA; Brian (Janet), Eden Prairie, MN; dear friends Robert Flynn and Rachel Flynn, eighteen nieces and nephews, 12 grand nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles: Delores Rose, Hancock, MN; Donna Agar, Casper, WY; Phil and Viv O’Neill and Jean O’Neill , Beardsley, MN; Ken and Helen Swanson, Edina, MN; Bill Herber, Eden Prairie, MN; John and Rose Perra, Zumbrota, MN; cousins, countless friends and loved ones.
Fr. Tom was preceded in death by his father Dan, his mother Peg, his sister Kathleen, his maternal grandparents John and Anna O’Neill, his paternal grandparents Charles and Esther Agar and Mabel Agar, his aunts Claire Herber and Patricia O’Neill, his uncles Eugene O’Neill, Patrick O’Neill, James Agar and Clarence Rose, his cousins Dan and James Herber and Steve O’Neill.
A Vigil Service was held at San Carlos Cathedral on Sunday, May 3rd followed by a Funeral Mass of the Resurrection on Monday, May 4th officiated by Bishop Richard Garcia and concelebrated by numerous priests from the Diocese of Monterey and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Fr. Agar was born on April 13th, 1950 to Dwayne C. and Agnes M. Agar in Browns Valley, MN. Prior to being ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Monterey by Bishop Richard Garcia on March 20th of this year, Fr. Tom graduated with his Masters of Divinity in May, 2008 from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, CA. Prior to entering seminary in the fall of 2004, Fr. Tom was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for 25 years in both California (DaVita, Inc.) and in Minnesota with Dakota County Social Services in St. Paul, MN. His social work career began as one of the founders of the Minnesota AIDS Project and he served as their first Director of Social Services. Fr. Tom would later found Shanti Minnesota, another social service agency serving persons living with HIV and AIDS.
Other education included receipt of a Masters in Social Work from St. Thomas University and the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul. He received his undergraduate degree from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN and he was a member of the Browns Valley High School Class of 1968, in Browns Valley, MN.
Fr. Tom was active in the recovery community for 32 years. He was actively involved in the Mankind Project and the Men’s Tribe and for several years extensively involved with Landmark Education in both the Twin Cities in MN and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Fr. Tom was also recently made a lifetime honorary member of the Knights of Columbus.
Fr. Tom leaves to mourn his six brothers: Dennis (Peg), Minnetonka, MN; Richard, West Palm Beach, FL; David (Penny), Fergus Falls, MN; Dannel (Lynn), Golden, CO; Rev. Tim Agar, Reston, VA; Brian (Janet), Eden Prairie, MN; dear friends Robert Flynn and Rachel Flynn, eighteen nieces and nephews, 12 grand nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles: Delores Rose, Hancock, MN; Donna Agar, Casper, WY; Phil and Viv O’Neill and Jean O’Neill , Beardsley, MN; Ken and Helen Swanson, Edina, MN; Bill Herber, Eden Prairie, MN; John and Rose Perra, Zumbrota, MN; cousins, countless friends and loved ones.
Fr. Tom was preceded in death by his father Dan, his mother Peg, his sister Kathleen, his maternal grandparents John and Anna O’Neill, his paternal grandparents Charles and Esther Agar and Mabel Agar, his aunts Claire Herber and Patricia O’Neill, his uncles Eugene O’Neill, Patrick O’Neill, James Agar and Clarence Rose, his cousins Dan and James Herber and Steve O’Neill.
A Vigil Service was held at San Carlos Cathedral on Sunday, May 3rd followed by a Funeral Mass of the Resurrection on Monday, May 4th officiated by Bishop Richard Garcia and concelebrated by numerous priests from the Diocese of Monterey and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.