Birth date: Jul 7, 1939 Death date: Sep 10, 2021
Clinton- Richard (Dick) Thomas, 82, of Clinton, passed away peacefully, at Liberty Village Clinton, IL, on Friday, September 10th, 2021. Dick was born July 7, 1939, the son of Glen and Evelyn (Owen) Thomas. A former lifetime resid Read Obituary
Dick was president of our senior class at Maroa High School and an excellent basketball player on the exceptional 1957 Sweet Sixteen team. Also helped lead our football team to a conference championship very year! Such a great guy and wonderful friend! He will be sadly missed at our class reunions and about town. Rest in peace, Dear Friend.
Joyce Greeson Craig
Our heartfelt sympathy to you and your family. There are so many family connections throughout Maroa, that I didn’t realize just how many loved ones are mourning this great loss. Our love and prayers are with you all. Thinking of you and praying God will comfort your aching hearts.
Roger and Jan Dial
Dick was really a great cousin. And I remember one particular time that showed something of his mischievous side. It must have been sometime back in the late '50's or early '60's when our family had gone down to the farm south of Maroa where the Thomases were living then, as we often did on a Sunday--and they would also usually come up to our house on Saturday evenings.
This particular Sunday we had driven, I think, into Decatur with Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Glen and Glenda (Nellie, Harold, Judy, me, and maybe Jack too, and maybe also Uncle Bill and Aunt Geneva who often came down from Peoria). And when we pulled into the drive in front of the farmhouse, a very wild looking Indian charged on horseback out at us from behind the trees along the path to the pasture out back of the house. He had on warpaint, a headdress, no saddle, and had Lady, the horse, galloping at break-neck speed. At first we were all pretty startled. But we soon realized that it was Dick, and everyone had a great laugh. I'll always remember the fun of that day--and so many, many other days there on the farm, especially riding Lady and playing with wonderful
Skpper, the beautiful collie who loved to get all excited and start running non-stop all the way around the house over and over, nipping at our ankles as he flew by.
Those were the days. I hope they were always fond ones for Dick
too.
Joe Armstrong, Somerville, Massachusetts
grandpa thomas would always pick me up from elementary school and we’d go eat mcdonald’s and then he'd take me to walmart and let pick out a toy. didn’t matter the price he’d buy it. grandpa also taught me how to play checkers and he always let me cheat so i could win. i will miss him endlessly
