James David Thode

James David Thode, 82, was born on May 28, 1943, in Tuscola, Illinois, located in the heart of Amish and farming country, to Alfred Oscar Thode and Opal Jean McCormick. He passed away peacefully on August 13, 2025, at his home, with his beloved bride Geri by his side.

In his youth, David was an exceptional athlete. In Little League Baseball, he threw a no-hitter at just 12 years old — the first no-hitter ever recorded by his team in Tuscola. After his family moved to Kingman, Arizona, he became an All-Star Champion basketball player, averaging 32 to 35 points per game. Standing only 5’5” tall, David’s talent and determination earned him recognition and honor as an All-State Basketball Player and Champion, marking a major accomplishment for both him and his team.

As a young adult, David was a fun-loving guy and had moved to the St. George area, where he moved in with a group of guys who called him “Davy,” since he was the youngest in the group. They had been working together for the Arizona State Road Department. They played pranks and enjoyed life like most youth did. On one memorable occasion, while goofing around with his friends, he ended up driving his T-Bird right into the front entrance of the Big Hand Café, located on the corner of Main Street and the Boulevard downtown. On another wild adventure, the group “borrowed” a Greyhound bus that had stopped at the Big Hand Café that was a dedicated stop on their route. Some passengers were sleeping on the bus or waiting to continue their trip. David and the group of guys decided that they wanted to go for a ride, so they boarded the bus, drove it down Main Street, then turned onto Tabernacle Street before abandoning it and taking off. The passengers awoke to find their bus was parked in a new strange place, but no one ever discovered who had taken it for a joy ride. These escapades were a testament to David’s adventurous spirit, sense of humor, and love for life.

In 1961, David began his long career as an engineering inspector with the Arizona State Road Department and became part of the first crew to work in northern Arizona on the Gorge. For two years, he drove daily over Utah Hill and back as the crew blasted rock and constructed the road and bridges that would transform the area. David played a key role in the design of six bridges, often performing challenging inspections that required him to be lowered by tether deep into narrow pylon tubes, called caissons, to ensure they were built to exact standards. The deepest he ever descended was 132 feet into a space just 32 inches wide — a task that left him with a lifelong case of claustrophobia but also great pride in the work accomplished.

During this time, fate stepped in when David met Geri at Dick’s Café. A friend arranged a blind double date, which led to a second date at Milt’s Stage Stop in Cedar Canyon — a night that began their love story. On Geri’s birthday, David proposed, and that August they were married, beginning a partnership filled with love, hard work, and shared adventures.

After completing his work on the Gorge, David spent a year back east doing surveying for a company, assisting with engineering for building projects. He then joined the Caisson Corporation, the very company responsible for engineering the bridges he had helped build. With the Caisson Corporation, he spent a year in Chicago building foundations under a large building next to the Sears Tower.

David later went to Wichita, Kansas, to build a road. When the State of Kansas encountered difficulties constructing a highway on stilts, they recruited David to help engineer and build the road, incorporating the necessary slopes in the curves to create safe radius turns. Afterward, he went to Columbus, Ohio, to build the foundation for the Borden’s Building.

He and his family then moved to the Republic of Panama, where the city of Panama had no running water. David’s company was responsible for building a pumping station and the necessary infrastructure to provide safe drinking water to the city’s residents, a vital project that improved the lives of thousands.

Following Panama, the family lived for a few months in Chicago, then in North Carolina, and then in Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, David was tasked with estimates on multimillion-dollar projects, but the stress ultimately outweighed the job’s rewards.

Seeking a better balance for his family, David returned to St. George, Utah, where he took over Blake Steel Company and managed it for the following 18 years. After that, he worked at Ruesch Machine Shop until his retirement in 2008.

David became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1980 and was sealed to his family for eternity. He served faithfully on the Bishopric and regularly checked in on the primary classes, which he often said was his favorite place to be. He became affectionately known as the “Candy Man” at church because he always had a pocket full of Lifesavers that he would hand out. He would often arrive at church at least a half hour early to greet the little old ladies, giving them a hug, a candy, and a moment of friendship. David also nurtured his children’s creativity and service. He helped his son Troy begin his career as Santa by involving him in delivering oranges to church members each Christmas, dressing Troy up as Santa and delivering the oranges personally to homes in their ward. The experience brought immense joy to Troy and sparked a tradition he continued every year. David loved people and delighted in doing anything that would make others feel loved and important.

David loved his family deeply and was a constant source of support for his children. He especially enjoyed cheering on his boys in their sports endeavors, taking pride in their accomplishments and celebrating every milestone with enthusiasm and encouragement. David and Geri were also active supporters of their community’s youth sports. They became members of the Dixie Booster Club, attending virtually every game in town for both boys’ and girls’ programs in St. George, cheering on the athletes and encouraging sportsmanship and teamwork.

David was always a dreamer. He loved imagining what he would do if he won the lottery or if his dinar ever became cashable, always thinking of ways to share his good fortune with family and friends. His dreams of giving and enjoying life were reflected in his beloved Camaro, which he named “The Dream.” He would ride around in it with a huge grin, admiring the interior and telling Geri how much he loved his car, always finding joy in the simple pleasure of his dreams come to life.

David faced serious health challenges with courage. In 2002, he underwent six bypass surgeries to address congestive heart failure, and later battled cancer, facing each obstacle with resilience and determination.

Geri and the family wish to extend their heartfelt thanks to Canyon Home Care and Hospice for the exceptional care and compassion they provided to David. Special appreciation goes to nurses Tracy, Jill, Josie, and Claudia, whose kindness and dedication made a meaningful difference. David was deeply grateful for their care.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred Oscar Thode and Opal Jean McCormick, and four siblings, Bill, Keith, Ted, and Fred.

James David Thode is survived by his beloved wife, Geri Thode; his sons, Troy (Cheryl) Thode and JD (Rebecca) Thode; his grandchildren, Trason, Kolter (Quartney), Jessica, Jordan, and James; his great-grandchildren, Bentley, Andilyn, Jude, Stockton, and Clark; and his siblings, Jack Thode and Betty Ruth Zimmel.

A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, August 19th, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the McArthur Mortuary at 160 West 700 South, St. George, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Interment will take place at the City of St. George Cemetery at 650 East Tabernacle, St. George, Utah.