RICHARD THOMAN

THOMAN--Dr. Richard S.

(1919-2015) was born near Lamar, Colorado, married Evelyn Zumwalt on November 28th, 1942; and passed away last Wednesday at the age of 96. Reared on a primitive dust bowl farm in Lamar, Dick won gold medals in statewide scholarship contests in high school. He built a nest in the trees where he was able to both study for these exams and also attend to the cattle on the farm. He received his BA and MA from University of Boulder, CO; and his PHD (Geography) from University of Chicago. With his wife Evelyn, his lifelong colleague/editor as well as mate, he authored and edited 20 books, numerous articles and reviews. In 1967, he became the province of Ontario's first Director of Regional Planning and Development. He taught Geography at University of Colorado, University of Maine in Gorham, University of Missouri, University of Chicago, University of Nebraska Omaha, Northwestern, Queens (Canada), and Cal State, Hayward. He started a new Dept of Geography at Omaha, and conducted a distance learning TV program there-- in which he was "better than [popular competing TV program] The Hawk!" according to one young viewer who once recognized him to his delight. Dick is survived by his son G. Richard Thoman, six grandchildren Camille, Alexis, Kylie, Max, Amy and Eric; three great-grandchildren Breier, Georgia and Mac, nieces Kim, Lila, Marta, Lynda; nephews Roger, Eric, John, Perry, Howard; and numerous other relatives with whom he was constantly involved. Timothy W Tillman, who joined the Thoman household, lived in Raymond, MA until is death in 2005. He has two sons Nathan and Austin. Wry, brilliant, generous, irascible, eloquent, a man of social conscience, a go-getter, a man with a strong sense of family-- practical, poetic and funny. He wished to be remembered like this "he lived profitably, not monetarily, but intellectually".