George Leo Thole, Jr.

George Leo Thole passed away in his sleep on August 5, 2025. George was born April 12, 1939, to George Leo Thole, Sr. and Wilda Rhodes and was raised in Petaluma California. He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-three years Karen Knudson Thole, both parents, his brother Richard Wayne and sister Patricia Conklin; and is survived by his children Eric (Amy) and Kiersten (Tony) and grandchildren Hans Larson (Amy), Anders Larson (Ellie), Kevin Thole and Lauren Thole (Michael).

George was a standout football player at Petaluma High School ('57) and he began his college career at Utah State for a year and then a year at Napa Valley Junior College before he found his perfect match at North Dakota State. George was a two-way lineman for the Bison from 1959- 1961, where he met his future wife Karen Knudson.

Karen was a local Fargo girl and football cheerleader. The couple graduated and were married in 1962. George spent the next two years a signalman on the U.S.S. Long Beach. Upon discharge from the Navy, George took Karen to Casselton, North Dakota, where he taught Phy Ed and coached football for three years, winning three conference championships. George spent a year at the University of Minnesota coaching the freshman team for Murray Warmath and then two years at Richfield High School where he was assistant coach for football, wrestling and track.

George was hired to teach Phy Ed and coach football at Stillwater High School in 1971. For the next twenty-nine years, George taught class and coached football teams that won four state titles, and thirteen conference titles, Geroge positively impacted thousands of high school students.

George is a member of both his High School and his College Halls of Fame, along with the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association, the Minnesota State High School League and the St. Croix Vally Sports Halls of Fame. George served two terms as a member of the School District 834 School Board and he wrote a weekly column for the Stillwater Gazette for ten years.

The family wishes to thank the professionals at Oak Park Senior Living and are humbled by the outpouring of support from the Stillwater Community.

A celebration of life will happen on September 13th at the Stillwater Area High School from 12-4 p.m. Visitations will be from 12-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m. The program will be from 2-3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Stillwater Ponies Touchdown Club. Memorials can be made by check or Venmo (Thole Memorial-@Ponies-Football) checks can be mailed to: Ponies Touchdown Club, P.O. Box 2064, Stillwater, MN 55082.