The Thome family lives in the southern part of Monroe City. They are an involved young family, the kind rural Missouri needs. Glenn teaches P.E. and coaches track and football at the Monroe City Middle School. He is originally from Omaha, a proud University of Nebraska alum. His wife, Lindsay, works as a physical therapist at the Monroe City Family Practice Clinic. Formerly Lindsay Benson, she has an appreciation for life in her native Monroe City.

The couple’s little red dog, Reddington, is perpetually upbeat and curious about visitors. He always seems to be exploring.
Then there is Grace, the couple’s year-old daughter. She has her mother’s blue eyes and her father’s brown curls of hair. She likes quietly nibbling on graham crackers. She is one of the main reasons the Thome family is here.

Before moving to Monroe City in June, the Thomes lived in the Des Moines area. Lindsay was a physical therapist and Glenn taught P.E. for kindergarten through 8th grade in Perry, Iowa, a small town northwest of Des Moines.

While the Thomes were visiting Lindsay’s family in Monroe City, her sister, Jenny Quinn, told the Thomes about an elementary P.E. teaching job opening in town. On their drive back to Des Moines, Glenn surprised Lindsay by telling her he might apply for the job. “I never thought he would agree to (living in) a small town,” Lindsay says.

This got the couple talking about moving. They were happy with their situation in Des Moines, but they were thinking about Grace.
“She didn’t know any of her family at all,” Glenn says. “We thought it was unfair. That was probably the main drive behind it, getting Grace close to family. And getting us close to family.”
Lindsay got her physical therapy job in Monroe City. However, Glenn didn’t get the elementary P.E. job. They still planned to move, and Glenn assumed he would have to find a non-teaching job in the area. Then, about a week before moving, the middle school P.E. job opened up. Both Glenn and Lindsay had jobs in Monroe City, and Grace was close to lots of her family members who live in the community.
There were other benefits of moving to Monroe City that helped them make their decision, Lindsay says.
“When we were talking about moving, there was a lot on the pro list for Monroe City,” Lindsay says. “There was the lower cost of living. There were also a lot of opportunities to get involved.”

Lindsay sings in the Holy Rosary choir. She also serves as the President of the Monroe Community Theater Board. She says only half-jokingly that the way to become president of the board is to miss a meeting and get appointed.
Glenn, who has experience living both in the cities and now in a small town, agrees. “You can be more involved,” Glenn says, “As opposed to being lost in the shuffle.”

Glenn loves teaching and enjoys the opportunity to be a good role model for the middle school students. Male figures are sometimes in short supply among middle school teachers, and he helps meet that need.
When it comes to his coaching duties, Glenn seems to have some good role models of his own, with a Nebraska football poster schedule on his office wall that features former Husker coaches Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich, as well as current coach Bo Pelini. His office also has a Huskers “Blackshirts” flag, the name given to the Nebraska defense, and a picture of Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium, the fabled “Sea of Red.”

Even with his teaching and coaching duties, Glenn has plenty of time to spend with his family. Lindsay does as well, especially since she works four 10-hour days, which frees her on Wednesdays to enjoy the Adventures of Grace and Reddington. Also, she is never more than two days away from a day off. “Wednesday is the best day to have off if you’re working four days a week,” Lindsay says.

The Thomes are getting along well in Monroe City. They like their jobs, are involved in the community and are close to family. This young family has found a home. That’s good for Grace, good for the couple and good for Monroe City.
“I’m glad to be back,” Lindsay says. “There’s definitely a certain comfort in being back home.”