12/03/2025
Our deepest condolences to the Thomas and Richardson families as well as the many friends and extended family of Kristen Thomas
Kristen Elyse Thomas (nee Richardson), 36 of Arvada, CO, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 21, 2025. She was born on April 4, 1989, to Gary and Rosalyn Richardson of Shabbona, IL. Along with her three sisters, Kristen spent her childhood in Shabbona where she developed a love for horseback riding, exploring the outdoors at the family farm, swimming, soccer, golf and euchre. She attended Rollo United Church of Christ where she was both baptized and confirmed.
Kristen is a 2007 graduate of Indian Creek High School in Shabbona. Kristen attended Aurora University for a year before transferring to Northern Illinois University. After graduating from NIU in 2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Kristen moved to Scottsdale, AZ. She had been living in Scottsdale for a year when she decided to join two of her sisters and moved to Denver. It was there, in 2013, where she met the love of her life, Jarod Thomas. The two were engaged in September 2015 and married on September 2, 2016 in Lakewood, CO. Jarod was the perfect partner for Kristen. They shared a love of traveling and were constantly getting their passports stamped with trips to Vancouver, Spain, Switzerland, Iceland, Andorra, Austria, New Zealand, Australia and Aruba. In the summer months, they would spend their free time playing golf, hiking in the mountains, and road tripping to Minnesota and Illinois to see family and friends. In the winter months, they would ski and snowboard. And year-round, they could be found playing euchre for hours on end. Kristen would often partner with her mom and Jarod would partner with her dad. The “Girls vs. Boys” euchre showdown would go on for over 10 years with the ladies ultimately being the victors! In January 2019, Jarod and Kristen welcomed their beautiful daughter, Remi. Another beautiful daughter, Reese, joined in June 2020 completing the family of four. Kristen loved being a mother more than anything. She was thrilled when both girls would join her on the driving range or when the entire family (including their three dogs!) would hike the gorgeous trails of Colorado. Always the encouraging mother, Kristen would cheer her girls on as they learned to read and write, play soccer, and listen to their stories born from their imagination.
Shortly after Reese’s second birthday, Kristen was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic NET cancer. With the same drive and focus she had to become the youngest club champion at Indian Oaks Country Club in 2007 or to earn a Master’s Degree in Health Promotion and Education in 2016 or to run the Colfax Marathon in 2017, Kristen fought this terrible disease. While the prognosis was not good, she was determined to see Remi start Kindergarten in August of 2024. In true Kristen fashion, she smashed that goal and was at Reese’s first day of Kindergarten in August of 2025.
Kristen passed away on Friday, November 21, 2025 with her husband by her side. While her family and friends are heartbroken to have lost her, we are grateful she is now cancer-free and resting peacefully in God’s kingdom. We would like to thank every single person who has prayed for her and cheered her on as she courageously fought her battle. She, along with Jarod and both the Richardson and Thomas families, felt that love and were humbled by the never-ending support from so many friends and family members from all over the country.
Kristen is survived by her husband, Jarod, their two daughters, Remi and Reese; her loving parents, Gary and Ros Richardson; her three sisters, Leah (Andrew) Myers of Geneva, IL, Jodie Richardson of Dekalb, IL, Lindsay (Kyle) Clark of Parker, CO; her mother-in-law, Kristen Krall of Westminster, CO; her father-in-law Gary (Amy) Thomas of Arvada, CO, her brothers-in-law, Raymond Krall of Westminster, CO, Joe (Allison) Thomas of Arvada, CO, Jonathon Thomas of Fort Collins, CO, Caleb (Allison) Thomas of Longmont, CO, Luke (Megan) Thomas of Littleton, CO, Seth Thomas of Arvada, CO, and her nieces and nephews: Thomas, Penny, Phoebe, Liam, Emmett, Gabriel, Simon, Lindsey, James and Hannah. Kristen is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many friends.
She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Paul and Shirley McDowell, her paternal grandparents, Garland and Carol Richardson, and her aunts, Kristine McDowell Guy and Paula McDowell.
A memorial will be held on Sunday, December 7 at 2 PM MST at Arvada Covenant Church, located at 5555 Ward Rd in Arvada, CO.
Funeral arrangements have been arranged by Torman Funeral Home of Paw Paw, IL.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 20 from 9 AM to 12 PM CST at Rollo UCC in Rollo, IL. Funeral services will follow the visitation at the church with Pastor David Fraccaro officiating. Burial will follow at Wyoming Cemetery in Paw Paw, IL. All are invited back to the church for a luncheon after the graveside service. Please visit www.TormanFuneralHome.com to sign the online guest book.
