Richard J. 'Dick' Thronson

Richard J. "Dick" Thronson, age 80, of Fort Peck, Mont., passed away on Thursday, July 20, 2023 surrounded by his six children.

Visitation will be on Friday, July 28, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Bell Mortuary in Glasgow, Mont.

Funeral services will be on Saturday, July 29, at 2 p.m. at the Glasgow Evangelical Church in Glasgow, with Pastor Frank Burns officiating.

Following the service, burial with military honors will be at Highland Cemetery in Glasgow. A reception will follow at the Fort Peck Hotel.

Dick was born on March 5, 1943, in Powers Lake, N.D., to Orville and Gwen (Ocain) Thronson. He spent his childhood and attended school in Ross, N.D.

Upon graduating, he joined the United States Marine Corps and proudly served his country for three years. After returning home, he met Carol Jean Skaar and they were united in marriage on July 3, 1965. They lived for several years in North Dakota where Dick started his career in the telecommunications business. In 1974, they moved to northeast Montana which ultimately became their home. Together, they were blessed with six children: Richard, Janice, Steven, Tom, Ted, and Monica.

Dick spent his entire career in telecommunications. He was heavily involved at the state and national level and served on many boards. He was a big part of bringing internet and video conferencing to rural Montana, which he did for his love of rural communities. It is impossible to capture all that he influenced and had a hand in over the course of his life.

After retirement, he settled in Fort Peck where he was close to his favorite place in the world, the family cabin at The Pines. One of his greatest achievements was building the new cabin with his kids. He enjoyed hunting and spending time with his kids and grandkids.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, Orville and Gwen Thronson; wife Carol Jean; daughter-in-law Carol Lynn Thronson; and many brother and sisters-in-law.

He will be forever missed by his children, Richard Thronson, Steve (Chandra) Thronson, Ted (Jessica) Thronson, all of Billings, Mont., Janice (Sid) Helmick, of Glasgow, Tom (Jenny) Thronson, of southern California, and Monica (Chad) Heimbuch of Oakes, N.D., 16 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; brother Lawrence (Bonnie) Thronson; and sisters Dorothy (Tom) Haro, Joyce (Orville) Baumgartner and Joan Stenehjem: and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Northeast Montana Veterans Memorial Park, c/o Maxwell Knodel, PO Box 202, Glasgow, MT 59230.