Mason City journalist, city councilman Thoma dead

MASON CITY — Longtime Mason City journalist and city councilman Tom Thoma died on Thursday.

Thoma was a Mason City native, graduating from Mason City High School, attending North Iowa Area Community College from 1967-1969 and then graduated from Drake University in 1971. He immediately started working full-time for the Globe Gazette in 1971, where he held many titles over the years.

After leaving the Globe Gazette, Thoma ran for City Council, where he was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021 to one of the council’s two at-large seats.

Mayor Bill Schickel released a statement on Thursday night announcing Thoma had died earlier in the day. Schickel in his statement said the city lost a friend, journalist and public servant. He says Thoma had been hospitalized for several weeks and more recently took a turn for the worse.

Arrangements are pending at this time at Major Erickson Funeral Home.