Richard L. Thomas

About

Eastern Illinois University

Richard Thomas Obituary

Thomas, Richard L.
A reporter 15 years for the former Phoenix Gazette, and later an administrative aide to the late U.S. Senator Paul Fannin and the late Congressman Sam Steiger, died in Phoenix on June 30, 2014 at age 87. He was born April 12, 1927 in Mattoon, IL. Military services for the WWII Navy Veteran will be at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix on Friday, August 8, 2014 at 9 am. Thomas came to Phoenix in 1953 from Mattoon, IL, where he worked as a reporter for the Journal Gazette and the Centralia Sentinel. He retired in 1989 as a public information officer for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Thomas's first job at 16 was as a telegrapher for the Illinois Central Railroad. He was an amateur radio operator with the call sign AC7SW. After Navy service in World War II, Thomas attended Eastern Illinois University and Northwestern University. It was at Eastern where he met Ruth St. John. They married on August 12, 1949. This August would have been their 65th wedding anniversary. He was the author of two non-fiction books. He wrote "Chicken Tommy and Other Stories" an illustrated history of Humboldt Township, Illinois. With his wife Ruth, he also wrote "Arizona Facts and Artifacts" a series of 132 historical vignettes. Thomas was the only child of Clarence and Helen Reese Thomas of Humboldt, Illinois. He is survived by his wife, Ruth St. John Thomas; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Karen of Phoenix; daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne and Kent Young, and granddaughter Kinsey Young, of Leander, TX; and grandsons Ryan Young of Santa Rosa, CA and Stephen Young, of El Paso, TX. In lieu of flowers, please honor his memory by donating to either the USO or Brookwood in Georgetown (BiG), a vocational program for adults with cognitive delays that his granddaughter Kinsey attends. Donations can be sent to: USO, Department WS, PO Box 96860, Washington, DC 20090 or 2) Brookwood in Georgetown, 347 Mason Ct., Georgetown, TX 78628. Please visit www.hansenmortuary.com for online condolences.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Arizona Republic on Jul. 3, 2014.

Memories and Condolences
for Richard Thomas

4 Entries

Ellie Hartz-Cook

July 17, 2014

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 all about how he and Jim met and became friends, tell me things about Jim I didn't know, and remind me of things I have forgotten. Not to mention sharing such things about himself and Ruth. Jim and I had been complimented several years ago by being asked to sing and play a couple of tunes at Dick and Ruth's 50th anniversary party.

Dick and Jim were long-distance close friends. They kept in touch with daily emails to one another. They shared the newspaper experience, knew a lot of the same people, liked to write, and both had that "curiosity about" things going on around them that Corky Simpson mentioned.

Ruth, I'm so sorry. I miss Jim, and will miss Dick. Please let me know if there is any way I can be helpful.

Diane Drobka

July 7, 2014

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.

July 6, 2014

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

Corky Simpson

July 3, 2014

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.

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 results