Wayne Joseph Thomas

Wayne Joseph Thomas, age 74, of Saint James, Minnesota, died on February 14, 2026, at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Marys Campus in Rochester, Minnesota. 

Visitation will be on Thursday, February 19th, 2026, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at First Presbyterian Church in Saint James, Minnesota. A Memorial Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Saint James on Friday, February 20th at 10:00am with visitation one hour prior. Interment will be at a later date. Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Saint James. Online Condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Wayne was born on September 28, 1951, in Pipestone, Minnesota to Albert and Irene (Lazarz) Thomas. Wayne was the seventh child in the family and grew up in Pipestone, Winona, Saint James and Lake Crystal, Minnesota. He graduated from Lake Crystal High School. On August 19, 1972, Wayne was united in marriage to Janet Kielblock. Together they raised two children, Kelly and Allen.

Wayne dedicated 46 years of service to S-T Industries before retiring. In retirement, he continued to stay active working maintenance for Park Apartments and Gary Sturm. In his earlier years, Wayne served on the Watonwan County Fair Board, where he helped run the beer gardens. He also served his community as a First Responder with the Saint James Ambulance Service. Wayne proudly devoted 35 years to the Saint James Fire Department. Even in his free time, you could often find him at the hall washing trucks. He truly loved his time with the department and remained closely connected long after retirement.

Wayne enjoyed life’s simple pleasures. He could often be found fishing on Dock 1 at Saint James Lake, taking road trips to Arkansas to visit his son’s family, or riding his bike around town with a mocha in hand. After the passing of Janet in 2015, Wayne met Mariana Molina. They shared seven wonderful years together traveling the state and enjoying time with family. Wayne especially cherished time with his grandchildren and was always ready for a last-minute drive.

Wayne is survived by his daughter, Kelly Lorenz (Shawn Thompson); son, Allen and Rene Thomas; grandchildren, Macy Lorenz (Andre) and Caleb Lorenz (Ashlee), Alayna Thomas, Kyla Thomas, and Evan Thomas; great granddaughters, Kendricks and Lennox Brandts; siblings, Janette (Ray) Rathman, Keith (Cathy) Thomas, Larry (Kathy) Thomas, and Lori (Gene) Buessman; brother-in-law, Jerry (Renee) Kielblock; sister-in-law, Bonnie Hunter; and special friend, Mariana Molina.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Janet; his in-laws; brothers, William (Marilyn) Thomas, Morris Thomas, and Sanford Thomas; brother-in-law, John Kielblock; niece, Amy Sandmeyer; and other special friends.

Wayne will be remembered for his steady presence, his servant’s heart, and the quiet joy he found in family, community, and the open road.