Richard G. Thell, 82, Sauk Rapids

April 23, 1935 - September 9, 2017

Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in St. Cloud for Richard G. Thell, age 82, who passed away at Country Manor Health Care in Sartell on Saturday. Rev. Paul Dare and Rev. Tysen Bibb will officiate and burial will follow at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Sauk Rapids. Friends and family may gather from 4-8 p.m. Monday with a Prayer Service at 6 p.m. at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids and one hour prior to the services on Tuesday at the church in St. Cloud.

Richard G. Thell was born April 23, 1935 in St. Cloud to John and Regina (Palmershiem) Thell. Richard served his country in the United States Army as a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne. He married Bernice Oehrlein on April 23, 1960 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. He was employed with Stan Koch and Sons as an over the road truck driver, retiring in 2004 and hauled produce for Stoney Brook Farms. Richard enjoyed watching dirt track car races and NASCAR races. He played Cribbage at Whitney and enjoyed coffee at Copper Lantern with his buddies and solved the world’s problems. Richard grew up on the farm and has always loved being outside camping or riding his mower cutting grass. Most of all, Richard loved his family and watching his children and grandchildren play all of their sports.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Bernice of Sauk Rapids; children, Nancy (Dwight) Gilyard of St. Cloud, Daniel (Deanna) Thell of Pierz, Todd (Krin) Thell of Sauk Rapids; brothers and sisters, Rosemary Dittmer of Delta, CO., Annette Steiner of Mounds View, and Lawrence (Jane) Thell of Foley; grandchildren, Nicole Barry, Dustin Gilyard, Aimee Gilyard, Haley Thell, Kenzie Thell, James Thell, Jade Thell, Jake Thell; great grandchildren, Eli Barry, Sallie Barry, and Deserae Plumski. He was preceded in death by his parents; sons, Jeffrey Thell and James Thell on October 16, 1979; siblings, John Thell on August 1, 2014, Audrey Hallam on November 20, 2016, and Delores Thell in 1939.

The family would like to thank the staff at Pine Cone Lodge at Country Manor for the care they gave to Richard.