Rudolph Louis Thoreson Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Rudy Thoreson passed away a few months shy of his 94th birthday on October 23, 2014. Rudolph Louis Thoreson was born on his parent’s, Ole and Louise Thoreson, farm in Leelanau County Michigan. His elementary education was in a one room school house. He graduated from St. Mary’s H.S. Lake Leelanau, MI in 1939 and was a member of their basketball team that won the county championship in 1938. He went to a business school in Traverse City, MI and worked as an insurance underwriter there until he enlisted in the Army Air Corp in June of 1942. He was a veteran of WWII and the Korean War. During WWII, he was stationed on six different islands in the South Pacific where he served as a 1st Sgt. in a B-24 Squadron. He was called back to active duty during the Korean War in the United Stated Air Force and served at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. He was involved in sales his entire career, the last thirty-two as a self-employed insurance agent. Growing up on his parent’s farm with his three brothers and three sisters taught him the value of hard work which stayed with him throughout his adult life. He married the love of his life, Joanne Armstrong, September of 1955 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Toledo, and enjoyed over fifty-one years of married life. She preceded him in death in November of 2006. Together they enjoyed traveling in their motor home; they had been in every state in the United States except Delaware and most of the provinces of Canada. He enjoyed traveling with his son, Eric, overseas to Hawaii, Australia, and two trips to Europe. He also enjoyed sailing with his buddies on Lake Erie for many years. He was an active member of his parish, Christ the King, since he joined in 1959, as an usher, reader, communion distributor, and parish council member. Both he and Joanne were Eucharistic ministers at Toledo Hospital. He was a longtime volunteer at the Little Sisters of the Poor, American Red Cross, and St. Louis Soup Kitchen. His membership included the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Knights of Columbus, Carriage House West (Past President), The Serra Club of Toledo (Past President), and the 307th Bomb Group Association. He was also predeceased by siblings, John (Val), Delina, and Bernice (Ed). He is survived by his daughters Vicki Laverde and Ann (Dan) Simerlink and son Eric (Michelle) Thoreson, his sister Sister Karen, brothers Leonard (Sally) and Kenny (Delphine, deceased), 10 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. Friends are invited to visit on from 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday October 29, 2014, in the Ansberg-West Funeral Home, 3000 Sylvania Avenue. The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated 10:00am Thursday October 30 at Christ the King church where friends are invited to visit in the Narthex after 9:00am. Memorial contributions may be made to Helping Hands of St.Louis Soup Kitchen, The Little Sisters of the Poor and Christ the King Church.