Thomas Richgels

1952 - 2025

Thomas Earl Richgels, 73, of Mesa, Arizona, passed away from skin cancer on November 15, 2025. Tom was born to LeRoy and Beverly (Greenfield) Richgels on July 13, 1952, in Madison, Wisconsin, and was the eldest of three children. He played varsity baseball and football at La Follette High School. After graduating from University of Wisconsin - Madison with a degree in geography, Tom moved to Arizona, where he had fallen in love with the Grand Canyon State after an earlier visit. He took a job at the City of Tempe Parks and Recreation department, and later started working at Price Club, where he met his future wife, Cheryl. They married April 4, 1987 and he continued working there as it became Costco Wholesale. His 44-year employment as a forklift driver supported his family through the birth and raising of two daughters and the building of a new house, up until the very last day of his life.

The pillars of Tom's life were his faith in God and the restorative salvation of Jesus Christ, his love for his wife and daughters, and his communion with the beauty of the desert. He was blessed to be able to take his grown family on a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon and share many memories from his early years hiking and rafting. He also felt deeply blessed to enjoy time with his six grandsons, and take a final full-family trip to the North Rim this past June.

Tom loved telling a good joke and was known to jest with wordplay. He was never one to be rushed into a decision, was a meticulous record keeper, and was thoughtfully genuine with his compliments. He wrote prayers for First United Methodist Church of Mesa for many years in both the newsletter and weekly bulletins, and participated in the prayer team there and at City of Grace, Mesa. Tom loved the outdoors and had a wonderful memory for details of every hike and rafting trip he had gone on, as well as many sports events he both participated in and watched. Tom's joy of sports in Arizona included playing and later umpiring fast-pitch softball, biking to work a few days a week, attending high school football games with his oldest daughter, and passing down a love of sports to both his daughters and grandsons through casual backyard play, as well as assisting his son-in-law Jeremy in his oldest grandson's coach-pitch league. He was present at each of his daughters' concerts and recitals. He enjoyed a Heineken on vacation, but had chocolate milk daily, both of which elicited a satisfied "Ahhh" with the first sip. He savored good flavors and new flavors, happily being introduced to Thai food once his son-in-law Steve entered his life. Tom lived well and loved deeply. His legacy is his family. He will rest peacefully in the arms of his Savior knowing he left them well cared for and that they never once doubted his feelings for them. He modeled love and romance to his daughters by the way he treated his wife Cheryl. He showed the value of family by maintaining close ties with his family in Wisconsin both in phone calls and annual summer visits, although he swore never to visit during Winter again. Years hiking and rafting in his 30s shaped his relationship with consumerism, leading Tom to always make things last as long as possible, and sometimes beyond that. He did not waste - time, things, money, or words. Tom was adamant that his life was a testament to the goodness and mercy of God, and that salvation was possible through Jesus. You can honor Tom's life by keeping nature clean and protected, being mindful of your consumption, and telling people you love them.

Tom is preceded in death by his father LeRoy and his mother Beverly. He is survived by his wife Cheryl, daughters Rebekah (Stephen Vossler) and Laura (Jeremy) Emery, and grandsons Jacob, Nathan, Alexander, Levi, Jonathan, and Christopher, as well as his sister Jayne (Larry) Werner, brother Jeff (Susie Dyhr) Richgels, and niece Betsy (Greg) Churas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Grand Canyon Conservancy or Prison Fellowship. A memorial service will be held at Gracepoint Global Methodist Church, 6159 E University Drive, Mesa, AZ on Friday, December 12 at 3pm and will be available to livestream. He will be missed.