Cloudy, 27° F
(Sept. 12, 1930 - June 25, 2016)
Thomas N. Bennion of Billings died Saturday, June 25, 2016, in the peace and quiet of his own home.
Born Sept. 12, 1930, in Billings, he graduated from Billings Senior High in 1948, He served four years in the U.S. Navy in the Korean and other Pacific theaters as a communications specialist.
After returning from service in the Navy he meet his lifelong mate Marlene Barnhart while working at Buttrey’s Dept. Store in Billings. They were married Dec. 24, 1953. It was the only day they could get off from work.
Later, Tom worked for the state of Montana Job Placement Office for a while. He then worked for A&I Distributors delivering Penzoil in Montana and Wyoming until 1970, when they moved to Powell, where he worked for his friend Bud Linton of Linton’s Supply.
In 1986 after their three children had moved on, he and Marlene moved to Houston, Texas, and started a specialty advertising business with his son-in-law Don Milbourne.
He returned to Billings to continue in the advertising business as Bennion Advertising in 1988. Tom was a prominent member of the Business Network International (BNI) in Billings until he sold his business in 2010.
In 2011 he and Marlene moved into the Aspen View Apartments retirement community in Billings.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Rex and Jeanette Bennion of Billings.
He is survived by his sisters Bonnie O’Donnell of Lincoln, California, and Nancy Flaherty of Billings; wife Marlene; two daughters Christine Milbourne of Houston, Texas, and Andrea Grosinger of Laramie; son Barry Bennion of Billings; 14 grandkids, and 10 great-grandchildren.
A small memorial service will be held Friday July 1, at 1:15 p.m. in the Aspen View Chapel, 3075 Ave C. in Billings. Memorial donations may be made to Marlene Bennion at 3075 Ave. C #306, Billings, MT 59102.
