Richard L. Thomas

I have often had it on my mind lately to make time to get together with Dick and Ruth Thomas. I wanted to say "thank you" again to Dick. When his good friend, my husband, James E (Jim) Cook, died in 2012, it was Dick, the long-time Phoenix Gazette newspaperman, who knew who at the Arizona Republic needed to be contacted to write the article in celebration of his life. Jim had retired after 33 years with the paper as reporter, editor and columnist,

I would have asked Dick to tell me...

Mr. Thomas had an incredible and diverse career. Though I did not know him personally, I am proud to see that he, like me, was a former BLM employee in public affairs. My sincere condolences to his entire family.

Dick as we all called him on the U Node conference on Echolink, was a special contributor to our sometimes lively discussions over the last 18 months he regaled tales of his life which spanned so many years and would often talk about his visit to the UK many years ago, when his son was in London, he will be very much missed by those of us that knew him so well, that is the magic of Amateur Radio 73s Dick, Phil Jays Exeter England

As a friend, a reporter, public servant and patriotic American, there was none better than Dick. One special quality he had, that served him and the Phoenix Gazette so well -- and something missing so often today among journalists -- was a curiosity about what's going on around him. Dick, we will miss you. Ruth, you are in our thoughts and prayers.