Richard Vichit Thongklin

Richard Vichit Thongklin passed away peacefully at his home in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 18, 2026. Richard was born on November 30, 1943, in the city of Phra Pradaeng, of the province of Samut Prakan, Thailand. He attended the Uthemthawai Technology and Vocational Institute in Bangkok, Thailand.

Richard, formerly Vichit, married Chantida Thongklin on April 13, 1972, in Pattani, Thailand, and emigrated to the United States that year to Kansas City, Missouri, where one of Chantida’s nursing classmates from a Seventh-day Adventist nursing school lived. After Chantida obtained her RN in 1974, the couple lived in a small apartment near Linwood Boulevard and Main Street where Chantida worked in the Emergency Room at nearby Trinity Lutheran Hospital. Richard first picked up a dishwashing job at a hospital. After realizing "The American Dream" by purchasing their house and their first car, he later spent many years working for the VF Corporation as a shipping clerk at a Lee Jeans warehouse in Lenexa but was laid off and became a factory worker at Monark Egg Company in Columbus Park for several years. He retired after working as a hard count team member for the newly built Station Casino in Kansas City, now known as Ameristar Casino.

Although Richard was often stubborn, his tenacity contributed to a fruitful work and home life, helping to provide for his family. He was known for being a frugal, handy person, whether it came to building a backyard deck, installing appliances and gadgets, to landscaping and gardening, and fix-it-yourself projects. He was known around the neighborhood as a very kind man, getting to know and helping his neighbors with tasks, who also spoke very highly of him.

He was very dedicated to honoring his late wife, Chantida, who passed away suddenly at home at the age of 66 on October 29, 2012. The couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on April 13, 2012. Before they knew each other, both lived far apart, with Richard growing up in Phra Pradaeng, outside of Bangkok in central Thailand, and Chantida, who was born in Trang, in southern Thailand. They happened to meet each other by chance through a long-distance telephone switchboard as he was working for a telecommunications company, and one of his coworkers connected the two of them remotely.

He is survived by his only child, his son, Chayot (C.T.) Thongklin, of Kansas City, Missouri, and his only remaining sibling, a sister, Tuenjai Thongklin, of Samut Prakan, Thailand. Other relatives of note: Susie Yutyatat (sister-in-law), Bangkok, Thailand; Tony Yutyatat (brother-in-law), Bangkok, Thailand; Pattanapong Kosaiyakanon (brother-in-law), Las Vegas, Nevada; Soraya Kosaiyakanon (sister-in-law), Las Vegas, Nevada; William Kosaiyakanon (nephew), Las Vegas, Nevada; Theodora Kosaiyakanon (niece), Columbus, Ohio; Nat Kosaiyakanon (brother-in-law), Las Vegas, Nevada; Siriwan Wipapornpan (sister-in-law), Las Vegas, Nevada; Annie Kosaiyakanon (sister-in-law), Kansas City, Missouri.

A visitation is scheduled between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, at the McGilley Antioch Chapel, 3325 NE Vivion Road, Kansas City, MO 64119, 816-453-7700. (www.mcgilleyantiochchapel.com) All are welcome to attend this informal visitation to celebrate Richard’s life, and food and drinks will also be provided.

Because Richard became closely attached to his only son’s dog, Yuki, a female Siberian Husky and an adoptee of the Great Plains SPCA, the family strongly encourages donations sent to that animal shelter at 5428 Antioch Drive, Merriam, Kansas 66202 (https://www.greatplainsspca.org)in lieu of flowers.

The Thongklin family expresses deepest gratitude to all of Richard’s caregivers at North Kansas City Hospital (NKC Health) and the staff at Kansas City Hospice during his final months and weeks, ensuring that maximum medical care and comfort were rendered.