SSgt. Caleb N. Thorson

1998 - 2023

SSgt. Caleb N. Thorson, 24, of Eglin Air Force Base, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., formerly of Anamosa, Iowa, passed from this life unexpectedly on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 1, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion, where the family will greet family and friends for two hours prior to the service on Saturday. A committal service with full military honors will take place at Ridgeway Cemetery, in Ridgeway, Iowa, for any family and or friends who would like to make the drive. Caleb was born on June 17, 1998, in Ottumwa, Iowa, the son of Kirk and Elizabeth (Dunt) Thorson. He was a 2016 graduate of Anamosa High School in Anamosa, Iowa. On Oct. 9, 2021, Caleb was united in marriage to Morgan Braughton at Celebration Farm in Iowa City, Iowa. Caleb loved to be surrounded by the people he loved most, especially his two pups, "Oakley" and "Layla." Caleb was always one to bring light into people's lives by telling dad jokes and making others laugh with his weird, yet infectious laugh. Caleb also loved to support his wife, Morgan in everything that she did, including attending numerous softball tournaments to cheer on her team, while she coached. He loved to spend time with his three nieces as often as he possibly could, which included singing to them and doing anything to make them giggle. Caleb had a passion for music and the outdoors. His passion for music included show choir and All State in high school, where he won several awards, band, and singing the National Anthem for multiple occasions. His passion for the outdoors included spending quality time with family camping, fishing, boating and hunting. One thing that Caleb spent a lot of time doing was gaming with his friends, starting from the time they were all sitting in one room with multiple TVs and gaming consoles to staying connected while he was stationed overseas. Caleb had a natural talent for wrestling ever since he was in preschool all the way through his sophomore year of high school, wrestling has always been a big part of his life. Another big part of his life has always been the military, there has been a long history of military service in his family, and he joined the U.S. Air Force in 2016. During that time, he worked on F-15's and specialized in weapons systems. Caleb served his first four years in Lakenheath, England, where he traveled numerous times all throughout Europe and the United States, his last duty station was at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Throughout his time serving in the U.S. Air Force, Caleb was considered the "Golden Child" in the eyes of his peers and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant, was selected to go on many amazing TDY's and received numerous awards, one of which includes Maintenance Professional of the Year at RAF Lakenheath 48th Maintenance Group. He is survived and lovingly remembered by his wife, Morgan Thorson of Fort Walton Beach; parents, Kirk and Elizabeth Thorson of Anamosa; sister, Paige (Matt) Jordan of Anamosa; paternal grandparents, Nathan and Sandra Thorson of Cresco, Iowa; maternal grandparents, David "Bim" and Carol Dunt of Decorah, Iowa, and Larry and Susanne Roberts of Soda Springs, Idaho: father-in-law and mother-in-law, Mike and Michelle Braughton of Marion, Iowa; sister in-law, Michaela Braughton of Fond du Lac, Wis.; nieces, Elizabeth, Emma and Ava Jordan of Anamosa; his faithful and beloved pups, "Oakley" and "Layla"; and a host of extended family members including, aunts, uncles and cousins. Caleb was preceded in death by his brother at infancy, Levi Thorson. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Caleb's memory may be directed to the family and all funds received will be donated to either Fisher House of the Emerald Coast or to a Military Suicide Prevention in Caleb's name. Please share a memory of Caleb at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.