Lou A Clintsman Thoms

A Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch and fellowship, at Countryside United Methodist Church, 3221 SW Burlingame Road, Topeka, KS 66611.

Lou Ann is survived by her children, Lori Wiles (husband Derek Wiles) of Loveland, Colorado and Bryan Clintsman (wife Ann Clintsman) of Southlake, Texas, and step-daughter Susan Cotton of Bolingbrook, Illinois; grandchildren Leah Joseph of Chicago, Illinois, Jennifer Dow (husband Sam Dow) of Roanoke, Texas, Courtney Raines (husband Nathan Raines) of Argyle, Texas, Madison Wiles of Lenexa, Kansas, Kristen Kane (husband Bryan Kane) of Overland Park, Kansas and Cody Lowe of Norman, Oklahoma; and great grandchildren Margot Raines, Micah Raines and Joshua Dow. She adored and was so proud of her grands and great grands. She is also survived by her sister, EmaLea Reust of Grand Junction, Colorado, brother Roy Rypma of Liberal, Kansas, and brother John Rypma (wife Barbara Rypma) of Beatrice, Nebraska. Her pride extended to all of her nieces and nephews as well.

Lou Ann was preceded in death by her previous husband, Dean Clintsman, and husband Robert Thoms.

Lou Ann was born Lou Ann Rypma on a small farm just outside of Downs, Kansas on June 18, 1936. As the eldest of four children, she often took on the parent role of her younger siblings. Also typical of the first-born child, Lou Ann set the tone for her hardworking family, and took her dad’s words to heart that she could be whatever she wanted to be. Graduating high school early, she scraped together whatever money she could to attend Kansas Wesleyan University, where she also graduated early with honors.

Following graduation, she married Dean Clintsman and travelled to Guam where Dean was stationed in the Air Force. She had fond memories of teaching school, playing the organ for church, and picking bananas off the tree outside of her hut window. She would often tell stories of playing the organ for sunrise services, overlooking a beautiful beach.

After returning to the U.S., Lou Ann was a teacher and librarian, living in Salina, Liberal, Junction City and finally Topeka, Kansas. After having two children and remembering her dad’s words, she decided to get her realtor license, and began what would become a 55-year career in real estate. As her friends and colleagues would say, “Lou Ann didn’t live life on the sidelines.” She was driven in her career by her own ambition, but more importantly by her love to help people find their dreams.

After achieving her first $1M in sales, followed by multiple awards from her peers and industry, she was appointed a member of the Topeka Human Rights Commission. After becoming a single mother in the mid 1970’s, she knew only too well how important it was for women and other minority populations to have the same opportunities as all people, including getting credit in your own name, being able to purchase your own home, and not having to face discrimination. Lou Ann also began teaching real estate classes at Washburn University, where she was able to combine her early love of teaching with her passion for her real estate career. She made many friends through her real estate years, including her best friend Kaye Clark of Topeka, Kansas. Those two were trouble with a capital T, and supported each other through many of life’s transitions.

Lou Ann later married Robert Thoms and they shared a life for more than 25 years before his passing. Mom then found time for her passion with art, joining a local art group in Topeka where she enjoyed everything from watercolor to colored pencil drawings. In her last years, close friends and family enjoyed her hand-painted Christmas cards which many have collected. She also loved to travel including one of her favorite trips where she joined her children, brother John and spouses on a trip to Europe to keep a promise to visit her father’s homeland in Arum, Netherlands.

In her last year, Lou Ann relocated to Texas to be closer to her family and enjoyed her new independent living community. And true to her focus on following her passions, she helped invigorate an art class in her new community, with many members sharing their Christmas card painting drafts with her for feedback even after her stroke late in 2024.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, Lou Ann’s family is encouraging contributions to a memorial scholarship for deserving students at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas where she taught real estate classes. Teaching was always a passion for her, and the education part of her story goes even deeper.

In addition to being the first in her family to attend college, growing up on a farm meant there was very little money for college. To minimize costs, Lou Ann took a heavy class load at Kansas Wesleyan University to try and graduate in three years. Despite those efforts, she did not have enough money to pay her last semester’s tuition. An anonymous older gentleman in her small Kansas hometown heard about her story and sent $300 to her university to allow Lou Ann to finish her degree. Lou Ann was overwhelmed by this generosity, and after she graduated, she found out who donated the money and immediately took her entire first teaching paycheck to pay back the $300 – even though it was a scholarship - to the older gentleman, who died just a few months later. She remained eternally grateful for his kindness. Lou Ann went on to teach in some capacity for the rest of her life. Needless to say, she understood the importance of providing resources to those who may not otherwise have been able to get a college degree. Her family knows she would love the opportunity to pay that gesture forward by establishing a scholarship in her name.

Her family has arranged for a scholarship to be set up in Lou Ann's name for students at Washburn University who are first generation college students and have high financial aid needs. The goal is to achieve $25,000 in donations so this scholarship can continue indefinitely as an endowed scholarship. Lou Ann's family will match the final total of donations in an effort to reach that goal.

By clicking on the link below, you will be taken directly to Washburn University's scholarship donation page. Upon clicking the link and arriving at the scholarship donation page, scroll on the right side of the screen to the bottom and choose the “couldn’t find the fund” box and type "Lou Ann Clintsman Thoms scholarship" to ensure your donation is credited to the scholarship in her name. You will receive a confirmation email of your tax-deductible contribution.

Thank you for considering this opportunity. Lou Ann’s family prays blessings for you and your family.

https://www.wualumni.org/g/givenow