R. Thane Thalman

R. Thane Thalman, 51, passed away peacefully Sunday, November 26, 2017 holding hands with his wife, after a 3-year battle against head and neck cancer.
Thane was born in Nephi, Utah on April 17, 1966, the oldest child of Ronald Lynn and LouAnn Jones Thalman. He graduated from Juab High School in 1984. He was a captain of the football and basketball teams, the drum major in the marching band, and had the lead role in several school musicals.
He attended Snow College and served a mission for the LDS church in Chicago, Illinois. He met and fell in love with Karla Seely at Snow College when they had the lead roles of Annie Oakley and Frank Butler in the musical, "Annie, Get Your Gun." They sang together throughout their marriage and passed that love to their children.
Thane joined the Utah National Guard in June of 1988. He and Karla were married December 10, 1988 in the Manti LDS Temple. Thane served on active-duty in Germany during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. He graduated from Weber State University in 1992 and earned an MBA through the University of Phoenix in 1994.
Thane and Karla had four amazing children - daughters KariElle, Edison, and Audrey, and son Peyton. Each child had a close relationship with their dad. He always said, "You're a great kid; you're going to be a great adult."
Thane was the ultimate family man. He left love notes for his wife and for much of their married life they took a daily morning walk together sharing thoughts, concerns, and goals. Family picnics, movie nights, game nights, and dinner outings happened often. Thane led his family in prayer morning and night; and gospel discussions around the dinner table or in the car were regular events.
Thane's favorite movie was "It's A Wonderful Life," and he loved the quote "No man is a failure who has friends." Indeed, he had many. He was outgoing, welcoming, and kind to everyone he met. He was interested in people, and it seemed he could carry on a conversation with anyone about anything. He would always say, "You only don't know someone for about 15 minutes." Even in his illness he became fast friends with his doctors, nurses, medical staff, and other patients.
Thane used daily affirmations to guide his life, one being: "I exist to serve others." He helped at community clean-up events, helped neighbors move in or out, and helped strangers in need. He was a long-time member of the SCW Kiwanis Club and the Boy Scouts of America.
For most of his professional career, Thane was a financial advisor for Edward Jones at 151st and RHJohnson in Sun City West, AZ. He loved the financial business, and loved his clients and co-workers. He served as a regional leader and mentored other financial advisors. He ran a successful business because he regarded his clients as friends and believed in always doing what was best for them regardless of what he got paid. [His oldest daughter, KariElle, will be taking over his business.]
Thane had a deep faith in Jesus Christ. He tried to pattern his life after the Savior's - loving people from all walks of life unconditionally, serving them, encouraging them, and believing the very best about them. He held no grudges and had no enemies. He was slow to anger, and quick to forgive. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During his lifetime he served in many leadership positions and sang with the choir.
Thane and Karla lived by a few core principles: 1) "Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, and the day will come when you'll be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them." He believed in this philosophy whether it applied to schoolwork, housework, investing, or living the gospel. 2) "Things work out best for people who make the best of the way things work out." Whatever life threw at him, he worked with it, made the best of it, and found joy and blessings in it. This attitude along with faith in God and in His plan and in His timing carried him through his illness and gave him strength and hope. 3) "That which we persist in doing becomes easier; not the nature of the thing has changed, but our power to do so has increased." He shared that quote often with his kids when he wanted to motivate them to keep trying.
Thane touched so many people throughout his life. He was an ordinary guy who lived an extraordinary life because he did ordinary things in extraordinary ways. He was deeply loved and respected by many; and will be greatly missed.