Lawrence Thoma (1939-2019)

THOMA, MIESENBURG

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 10/9/2019 at 17:08:30

Lawrence E. "Larry" Thoma, 80, of St. Donatus, Iowa passed away at home on October 8, 2019 in the company of his family.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 12th, 2019 at St. Donatus Catholic Church with Rev. Rodney Allers officiating. Family and friends may gather starting at 9:00 a.m. Saturday at the church until time of mass. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, Dubuque, IA is serving the family.

Larry was born on February 22, 1939 in Bellevue, Iowa. He was the 8th son and 11th child born to Joseph and Frances (Miesenburg) Thoma. He attended and graduated from the Saint Donatus Parochial School in 1954. After graduation, he worked on the family farm. In 1967, Larry and his brother Donald began their farming careers together by renting and later purchasing the family farm. They then farmed in partnership for 52 years.

Larry resided on the Thoma Family Farm with Donald and Bertha, his niece MaDonna, and nephew Eldon. He was proud to have lived his entire life on the family farm where he enjoyed the simpler things in life. He lived life at his pace and he liked driving his John Deere 50 2-cylinder tractor and taking slow four-wheeler rides around the farm.

He spent many breakfasts sharing his orange with MaDonna and Eldon. He enjoyed going on yearly day trips the family took to places like zoos, House on the Rock and Spook Cave. He also fished and hunted throughout his life. Larry relished visiting with his 11 siblings and his numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Larry is survived by his siblings (Donald (Bertha) Thoma, Patricia Klaas, Richard Thoma, Ernest Thoma, Francis (Mary) Thoma, Bernice Pottebaum), his sister-in-law (Betsy Thoma) and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents (Joseph and Frances Thoma), siblings, (William Thoma, Arnold Thoma, Joseph Thoma, Victor Thoma, Marie Barth) and in-laws, (Ethel Thoma Alfred Barth, Edwin Klaas, Louis Pottebaum, Viola Thoma, Phyllis Thoma, Enda Thoma and Alice Thoma).

The family would like to thank Larry's doctors and Hospice of Dubuque for the care they provided.