Ralph M. Thomann Jr.
Ralph Marion Thomann Jr., of Hot Springs, Ark., passed away peacefully in the very early hours on June 1, 2018. He had told his wife that he would be going Home at the end of May. But then, Ralph was a little bit late for every event.
Ralph was born Sept. 17, 1946, to Ralph M. Thomann and Geneva “Bo” Wages Thomann. He grew up in Little Rock, attended Catholic High and then went to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. After graduation, Ralph joined the Army and went to Officer Training School. And was commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Serving his country was one of his most prized accomplishments.
After the Army, he joined his father at Capitol Offset Printing. He eventually became president and is credited with making it into one of Little Rock’s largest printing companies. Its success was due to his work ethic, his ability to build incredible relationships with both employees and customers, his humor and his engaging personality. He could coin a phrase like no other.
He met his wife Suzy in 1981. They laughed often and loved much. Ralph said, “You lit up my night like a Friday Night Flash.” In typical Ralph fashion, he had a necklace made for her with a gold pendant that simply read “Flash,” which she has worn for 37 years.
They were joined heart to heart. As a devout Catholic and loving man, he credited God for this union. His love of the Catholic Church changed Suzy’s life forever and she joined the church in 1986. It is a church they both loved very deeply.
Ralph and Suzy lived in Little Rock most of their marriage and belonged to Holy Souls Parish. They loved Lake Hamilton and bought a home on the lake there in 1990. All their children and friends enjoyed the lake life. In 2014, they made Hot Springs their permanent home and joined St. Mary’s Parish. They were welcomed with open arms and immediately felt the parish family life of the church.
He will be remembered fondly for his many antics, his Ralphisms (“Remember what I said!”), his love of classic cars (his beloved 65 GTO, aka “The Goat”), and his love of music (everything from Junior Brown to Motown). When his children were little, his bedtime song to them was “Love Potion No. 9.” He loved history, duck hunting, weapons and all things war related. Ralph also had impeccable style and loved madras. He had an insanely witty humor/delivery and was a truly devoted family man. To know Ralph was to love Ralph. There was only one Ralph and God broke the mold when He made him.
He is survived by his wife, Suzy; son and daughter-in-law, Jeremy and Ginger Thomann, of Knoxville; son, Jason Thomann, of Little Rock; daughter and son-in-law, Becky and Bart McKnight, of Little Rock; son and daughter-in-law, Alex and Jill Thayer, of Little Rock; sister and brother-in-law, Madeline and Bob Marquette, of Fort Smith; nieces, Ashley Graham and Lauren Marquette; sister-inlaw, Becky Sommer, of Hot Springs; grandchildren, Riley Thayer, Grant Thayer and Katy Thomann.
Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 9, 2018, at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church, 1003 N. Tyler, Little Rock, AR 72205. Online guestbook: http://www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a contribution be made to:
Arkansas Hospice, 628 Malvern Ave., Hot Springs, AR 71901; Holy Souls Catholic Church, 1003 N. Tyler, Little Rock, AR 72205; St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 100 Central Ave., Hot Springs, AR 71901.