Francis Thomas

Francis (Frank) Thomas passed away Sept. 25, 2024, at home surrounded by family.

Frank was born Dec. 31, 1945, in Butte to Jessie (Lee) and Frank Thomas. He attended St. Ann’s Grade School and Boy’s Central High School, graduating in 1964. He then went to the University of Montana where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1969.

Frank held numerous jobs while attending school – be it pumping gas in a Texaco station or working as an operating room tech at the Northern Pacific Hospital or driving a concrete mixer truck for Bud King concrete.

In 1966 he married the true love of his life in Cheryl Spencer, also of Butte. In 1967, Julie joined the family and Mark in 1972.

After college he was hired by Ready to Pour Concrete to oversee truck delivery and aggregate production at a plant that they had purchased from Bud King in Missoula.

By 1974 Frank and Cheryl decided to own their own business and started Reach Concrete Pumping, the first concrete pumping business in the state of Montana. They placed concrete on most of the 1-15 and I-90 bridges and other difficult projects.

At this time, in partnership with Pew Corp, they bought Polson Ready Mix (PRM) from Carl and Peggy Siefert. This operation led to portable plants building airport taxiways and runways for Air Force Bases from Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, to Fairchild AFB in Spokane, to Nellis Field AFB in Las Vegas, to dams in California and gold mines in Montana and Idaho. 

During this same period PRM either started or acquired concrete plants in Kalispell, Seely Lake, Plains and Missoula. In May of 2000, MDU acquired PRM and Frank retired.

Diversified Materials, a company owned by Cheryl and son Mark, was expanding and Frank went back to work. DMC expanded and purchased the Redi-Rock franchise for Montana, and in 2021 DMC added a concrete plant in Missoula.

In August 2020, Frank fell down a flight of stairs and broke his back. After two months at Neilson Rehab Hospital in Salt Lake he returned home as a paraplegic. Thus, life in a wheelchair began.

After his accident, he became more involved in woodworking and made beautiful bowls and items for friends and family.

Frank is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Jessie Thomas, his youngest brother (Michael) and his grandson (Sam).

Frank is survived by his wife of 58 years, Cheryl; his daughter, Julie (Steve) Prater, and his son, Mark (Marcy) Thomas; his grandsons, Zach and Alex Polsin; his sisters, Irene (Wayne) Gill and Mary Ledford; his brothers, Rob Thomas and Patrick (Pam) Thomas; his sister/brother in law, Marcia and John, and their sons Jonathan (Jessica) and Robert (Kylee) Likarish; plus a large extended family. He was grateful for his large community of dear friends.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Greater Polson Foundation or a charity of your choice.

A Celebration of Life will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, at the Polson Elks, at 2 p.m. All friends and family are welcome. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com.

Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.