Thomas Edward Carnel, 58, of Cannon Falls

Thomas Edward Carnel, 58, of Cannon Falls, died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Saturday afternoon after a courageous battle with brain cancer.

Tom was born May 22, 1951, in Red Wing, the son of Robert J. and Irene C. (Lynch) Carnel. He grew up in the Cannon Falls area and graduated from Cannon Falls High School in 1969. He attended Mankato State University and went to work with the Carlson Company in the travel business. He was a freelance incentive travel director, and enjoyed traveling the world. From 1977 until the present, he operated Carnel Realty in Cannon Falls.

Tom married Anita "Mitzi" (Denn) Aschenbrener on Sept. 1, 1984, in Cannon Falls. He was an active outdoorsman and an avid golfer. A member of St. Pius V Catholic Church, he was also active on the Goodhue County Board of Realtors, the Cannon Falls Development Corporation Board, and a member of the Oxford Sportsman's Club.

A devoted husband, father and businessman, he will be remembered most for his love for the outdoors and many trips to Lake of the Woods, his perseverance and drive to succeed in everything he did, and the love he had for his girls, Mitzi, Ashlan and Kristin.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Irene Carnel. He is survived by his wife of nearly 25 years, Mitzi; daughters, Ashlan and Kristin; stepchildren, Eric (Lindsay) Aschenbrener of Trempeleau, Wis., Hope Wical (Brian Selchow) of Burnsville, Sandy (Brad) Bromenschenkel of St. Cloud, and Heather (Tom) Angell of Alpheretta, Ga.; eight step-grandchildren, Shayna, Daniel, Hannah, Sydney, Jack, Zach, Aaron and Haley; brothers, Robert H. Carnel Jr. (Barb Reich) of Cannon Falls, and Paul J. (Janine) Carnel of Portland, Ore.; sisters, Karen Ann (Jerry) Schwengels of Fond Du Lac, Wis., Kimberly Ann Goodwin of St. Anthony, and Linda (Timothy) Dillon of Cannon Falls; and nieces and nephews, Adam, Brooke, Caitlin, Cole and Celia.

Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Pius V Catholic Church, Cannon Falls, with Father Jay Kythe celebrating. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today with a prayer service at 6 p.m. followed by a special photo memorial at Lundberg Funeral Home in Cannon Falls. Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Carnel, Bob Carnel, Tim Dillon, Kippy Knoblauch, Bob Custer, Pete Swentik, Eric Aschenbrener and Robert Siebenaler.

Memorials are preferred to the American Brain Tumor Association. Arrangements by Lundberg Funeral Home in Cannon Falls. On-line condolences may be directed to www.lundbergfuneral.com.

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