Richard L. Thomson, 79, of Red Oak, formerly of Cleghorn, passed away at his home on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.
Funeral services will take place on Friday, Nov. 28, at 11 a.m. at Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Visitation with the family present will take place an hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Pastor Andy Brown will officiate. Burial will be in Liberty Township Cemetery at rural Meriden. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.
Richard was born on July 30, 1946, to Robert and Della Beth (deBey) Thomson at Orange City. He graduated from Meriden-Cleghorn High School in 1964. He continued his education, earning a four-year degree in English, completed graduate work from the University of Iowa in film production, followed by a graduate degree in behavioral disorders from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He also was an ASE-certified master technician.
He was united in marriage to Kathleen Miller on Aug. 9, 1969, at Meriden and later married Cindy Wolf on July 15, 1989, in Golden, Colo.
He worked as a mechanic for the majority of his life. He taught heavy duty diesel technology at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. He also worked part-time teaching for the juvenile center in Sarpy County, Neb.
In his free time, he enjoyed working on cars and motorcycles, attending midget and sprint car racing events, helping homeless people, traveling, riding steam trains, taking care of his cats and visiting with anyone who would listen.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, John Thomson.
Richard will be lovingly remembered by his wife Cindy of Red Oak; children: Christina (Chris) Kinney of Beresford, S.D.; Ryan Thomson (Candice Shockley) of Omaha, Neb.; Nathaniel (Melanie) Thomson of Elkhorn, Neb.; Larissa Thomson (Jason Kriz) of Benson, Neb.; Sabrina (Ben) Davis of Mt. Vernon, Mo.; and Gene (Abby) Wolf of Tekamah, Neb.; 13 grandchildren; and sister-in-law Carolyn Thomson of Sioux Falls, S.D.
