Obituaries : James “JD” Donald Thorson

James "JD" Donald Thorson, 77, of Belle Plaine, IA passed away January 22, 2025 at his home.

JD was born October 26, 1947 to Palmer Ivertus and Juanita Irene (Nelson) Thorson in South Side Township, Minnesota. He graduated from Annandale, MN High School and continued his education at Brown Institute, Minneapolis, MN for Electronic Technician in 1966. He also attended Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA.

While in high school, JD mowed lawns, tended sheep for neighbors and worked for Lundeen OK Hardware in South Haven, MN, delivering propane. In 1966 JD started working for Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids, IA as an Electronics Technician. He retired from Rockwell-Collins in 2010.

JD is survived by his brothers, Wayne (JoAnn) Thorson of Sauk Centre, MN, Paul Thorson of Minneapolis, MN, and Jerry (Jane) Thorson of Mesa, AZ; Sister-in-laws Joyce (Dale)Thorson of Mesa, AZ and Pat (Larry) Thorson of Duluth, MN, nephews and nieces, Terry Thorson, Bruce Thorson, Cindy Kaine, Debra Brown, Linda Caird, Lisa Hechtel, David Thorson, Diane Duncan, Doreen Gunderson, Keith Thorson, Jesse Thorson, Sara Agne, Laura Meyer, Kenneth Sharrar, and Jennifer Flatch, and many grand and great-nephews and nieces.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Dale and Larry; sisters, Carol (Melvin) Lundeen, Jean (Robert) Finneman, and Yvonne (Jamie) Henley; and nephew, Alan Lundeen of Karlstad, MN.

JD enjoyed traveling with friends. They attended gatherings in southern Indiana, Madison, Wisconsin; Bowling Green, Kentucky; Duluth, Minnesota; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and St Louis Missouri along with many parties in Iowa. JD is remembered by his neighbors as a warm and friendly soul saying hi to the kids who lived close by. He enjoyed all the casinos in Iowa and made many friendships over the years. Parties were especially fun with JD because his humor was one of a kind and hilarious! JD always had interesting stories that made his family and friends laugh.

Funeral service will be 1:00 p.m. Friday, April 4, 2025 at the Zion United Methodist church in South Haven, Minnesota.