Raymond R. Thonn

Ray Thonn died on April 15, 2025. During the last weeks of his life he was surrounded by his family and was part of the stories, the laughter, and the expressions of love we were all able to share. His life, up to the very end, was an incredible gift to all of us.
Growing up in Elmwood Park, Ray started playing baseball on the John Mills School playground when he was very young. The love for that game only increased as he played on school teams, including on the Proviso High School team that won a state championship in 1953. He continued on the baseball team at the University of Illinois where he received his teaching degree, later his Master's degree. Most of his teaching career was in the Elmwood Park School District 200 where he taught PE and Driver's Education. He coached several sports, but mostly baseball and basketball. He also coached football and baseball for several years at Wheaton College.
After retirement Ray worked part time at the Wheaton Sports Center where he was also a member. Until just this last year he got up every morning to "go work out." Chatting with his circle of friends there was probably just as important to him as was the exercising. If Ray knew you, you were automatically one of his friends.
Ray loved watching kids participate in sports. It began with his own kids but it became so much more. He watched his grandchildren, and even his great-granddaughters these last several years. But it didn't stop there. He would seek out kids from church, the neighborhood, wherever and ask them when and where they were playing and he would go, often multiple times. He was a great cheerleader and fan.
Ray was a man who tried to live his faith everyday. He and Janet worshipped together at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Wheaton for almost 60 years. He served in many ways, usually working quietly behind the scenes, but always finding ways to help, even if it was making sure there was coffee whenever it was "needed." He loved his church and his church family. He loved his God and his Lord Jesus, thanking them daily for how blessed he believed his life to be.
Ray will be deeply missed by his wife, Janet, his daughter, Elizabeth Erickson and friend Ken, his son David and wife, Kathy, and his son Steve and his wife Pam. His 5 grandchildren were very close to their grandfather. Andrew Thonn and his wife Nicole and their two daughters, Maria and Hazel (great-granddaughters), Kyle Thonn, Jaimee Thonn and friend Mikey McGlauchlin, Corey Thonn and his wife Julia and their two children, Maeve and Nelson (great-granddaughter and great-grandson) and Nora "Dax" and friend, Adio. Ray has many nieces and nephews who will miss their favorite uncle.
Ray was born in Chicago on December 12, 1936 and was preceded in death by his father, William A Thonn and mother, Myrtle Annetta Perkins Thonn, his brother, Bill (William Thonn), son-in-law Mark Erickson, and two nephews, Raymond Thonn and Michael Thonn.
A funeral service for Ray will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 802 E. Geneva Rd., Wheaton, IL 60187, on Saturday, May 3, at 1:00 PM, followed by a reception. The service will be live-streamed on through this link: https://www.holycrosswheaton.org/ray-thonn Memorials honoring Ray may be made to Holy Cross or a charity of your choosing.