Martin Thom

Martin Thom was called to the Lord, Monday, February 1, 2010, at the age of 103 at the Long Prairie Memorial Home. Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on February 6, 2010 at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall with Roy Williams and Chris Swenson presiding. Burial was at Evergreen Cemetery in Long Prairie. Martin was born in Drake, ND, January 8, 1907. He was the second to the youngest born to Herman and Augusta (Kohlhoff) Thom. He attended school in Drake, ND and graduated in 1927. In 2007, he was honored at the Drake School Reunion as the oldest living student. After graduation, Martin attended Minot Teacher’s College. He taught in Minot for two years. He then went to work for J.C. Penney, who he knew personally. Martin transferred to Sioux City, IA where he met Desia “Honey” Wallen. They married on June 8, 1933. While in Iowa, Martin and Honey danced many times to Lawrence Welk as he knew him from a neighboring town in North Dakota. A few years later he was transferred to Boone, IA where Connie was born in 1937. Two years later he was transferred to Winona, MN where Richard was born. J.C. Penney continued moving Martin to different stores to fix those having problems. They moved to Kenosha, WI, Fairmont, MN, and Watertown, SD. At Watertown he met Bert Gamble and started working for the Gamble Store. He was then transferred to Gambles in Aberdeen, SD. In 1954 Martin, Honey, Connie, and Dick moved to Long Prairie where he managed the Gamble Store there. In 1956 he was offered a job with the start up of Coca Cola in California. The family decided to stay in Long Prairie. When he moved to Long Prairie in 1954 he was part of a group of 33 to start the Lions Club. On his birthday this year, the Lions Club honored him as the oldest living charter member of their club. In 1959 Martin purchased the Gamble-Skogmo Store in Long Prairie and continued to operate the store while Honey did the bookkeeping until 1972 when they sold the store and he retired at 65. Upon retirement, Martin and Honey chaperoned numerous Long Prairie Band trips throughout the U.S. Martin also water-skied at 65. At this time, he started his passion for golf. He loved to golf at the Long Prairie Country Club and in Arizona on winter getaways. He was also very passionate about the Minnesota Twins. His golf cart was equipped with a radio and dual speakers so he could listen to the Twins while playing golf. At the age of 92 the Long Prairie Country Club gave him a lifetime membership which he continued to use every week until October of 2009 - just three months ago. In 2007 , Channel 11 of Minneapolis did a feature on the “101 golfer”. They spent the day with Martin and family at the Long Prairie Country Club. Several channels picked up the piece and we heard from family and friends throughout the U.S. and Canada, as they had seen Martin on TV. Martin loved to eat out. Helen Mosleth, a special friend for many years, and he spent a great deal of time at Mikey’s Restaurant and other surrounding eateries - always visiting with everyone he met. They also did some traveling - even an Alaskan Cruise at 92. Martin was preceded in death by his parents; Honey in 1985; brothers and their spouses, Herman, Henry, August, Arnold, Bill, and Benny; sisters and their spouses, Mary and Tillie; and son-in-law Raymond Pesta. He is survived by daughter Connie of Long Prairie; son Richard (Luella) of Carlos; grandchildren, Kevin Pesta of Long Prairie, Corey (Ken) Kliber of Randall, Neil (Brenda) Pesta of Royalton, Jennifer Walker (friend Gordy) of Elk River, Jason (Brenda) Thom of Elk River, Craig (Sherri) Madison of Gilbert, AZ, Shari Jerome of Carlos, Lynette (Rob) Peterson of Alexandria, and his special friend Helen. Martin had 10 great-grandchildren, Jordan & Logan Pesta, Mackenzie & Chelsie Thom, Isaac & Sydnee Peterson, Halle & Logan Pease, Emily & Jacob Madison - at 103 Martin’s oldest great-grandchild is only 9. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews in California, Idaho, Washington, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Canada. Pallbearers are Kevin Pesta, Neil Pesta, Jason Thom, Doyle Eckel, Myron Eckel, and Jay Eckel. Honorary pallbearers are his great-grandchildren. Martin will be remembered by his bragging of his longevity due to living in Long Prairie, golf, no medications, and his coffee with lots of cream. We will miss him.

Martin Thom

January 8, 1907 - February 1, 2010