Louis Thomson Hey, MD

O God, we yearn for those who belong
to us and who are not here with us...
wherever they may be,
lay thy hand tenderly upon them.
-Walter Rauschenbusch

Obituary

With love and pride, we remember Louis, who was born May 15, 1990 in Minneapolis MN and died March 29, 2026 in Boise ID.  On March 31, 2026 Louis became an organ and tissue donor.  He lives on through the gift of donation, the many patients whose lives he touched, his dear friends, and his infinitely loving family.  

Louis forged his own path through life, and we were privileged to witness his adventures, misadventures, travels, boundless enthusiasm, and the brave spirit that guided him (even if it made us nervous sometimes).  He lived a beautiful life and was never afraid to try something new: moving to England to pursue nursing, studying the Zika virus in Brazil, roaming the country in a 30 foot motor home during a pandemic, or buying the sports car that most people get AFTER they become a doctor.

Louis could master anything he put his mind to: History, fountain pens, tea ceremonies, the chemistry of perfume, auto repair, Russian literature, trout fishing, or watches (to name a few). He found his true calling, at last, learning rural family medicine in Big Fork, MN alongside his mentor, Dr. Ed Anderson.  

 As a resident physician in Idaho, he gave everything he had to his patients. Colleagues told us countless stories of his compassion, curiosity, skill, and ability to build trust with any patient.  He delivered babies, made nervous kids laugh, took care of the sickest hospitalized patients, worked long clinic hours with patience and empathy, and served people experiencing homelessness in the Boise community.  

Louis found community with his co-residents.  Whether eradicating scabies, doing improvised orthopedic surgery on a chicken, escaping to Hawaii, working brutal hours, or having DIY tattoo parties to unwind, they formed an intense bond and held each other up during their time together.  

We grieve the loss of his kind, brilliant, hilarious presence in our lives and treasure the time we were lucky enough to have with him. Remaining behind to carry his memory are his parents, Judy Thomson and Philip Hey; stepfather Grant Scholen; sister Clare Humphreys and brother-in-law Troy Humphreys; cousin/soul mate Mathew Johnson; adoring aunts and uncles Emmy, Sara, Lisa, Bruce, Pete, Cindy, Janet, Roger, Richard, and Donna; cousins Jenni, Allie, Miles, Kenya, Eliza, John, Sam, Leah, Ellen, and Dylan, extended family, treasured friends, loves past and present, and his beloved dog, Roger.  

Gone ahead to wait for Louis are grandparents, Jean and Terry Thomson and Richard and Miriam Hey, who were there to greet him with pure joy, and uncles Michael and David Thomson; they were kindred spirits and will have so much to share with each other, when they meet at last.  

For all of us who carry on:
“I sit here and I turn around to face the air coming through the window, and the air is so warm that I take it as a sign that it is all right to be alive as I am, just as I am, and to keep trying.”
-Jenny Slate, Little Weirds

Timeline

Gallery

Videos

Memory wall

May 25, 2026

Pinned

I love Louis like a brother. He was the first person I met when I got to Boise. We walked into the building together on day one. I thought he must be an asshole with his little red sports car. Turns out he was more like me than I thought. We spent nearly every bit of free time together intern year and I will never forget those moments, all of us crashing out together in good company. I never knew him to be more at ease than when floating in the ocean, and I had the pleasure of witnessing that several times. Weightless and at rest, riding the tide, within sight and out of reach. That is how I think of him now. I miss him and love him.

Tyler Shelby

June 14, 2026

I'm so privileged to be able to call Louis my family. Growing up with all the cousins there was always so much laughter, like when Louis let us cut his hair... we probably shouldnt have! Whenever he wanted to learn something he went in 100%. I remember visiting him in England and him having me bring a brick of specific tea leaves for his tea ceremonies because he couldn't get them shipped there. Eric and I have so many fun memories visiting with Louis and making our lives that much brighter. When I had children I remember how grateful I was when Louis would take time out of his busy life to visit us.

It's so clear from reading all the posts before me that everyone who Louis came in contact with understood what we did- that his enthusiasm and kindness brought so much light into our lives and I'm so grateful for the time we had with you.

Jenni Thomson

May 29, 2026

As a first-year resident, Louis was a great mentor and example of something to strive to be as a doctor. It was evident how loved and respected Louis was by everyone including his fellow residents, the faculty, nurses and MA’s as well as the patients he cared for. He was always humble, kind, caring and his smile and laughter were contagious. I felt so lucky to have known Louis as both a friend and a colleague and so grateful that our patient’s and community had such an amazing person to care for them.

Jake

May 29, 2026

…It is a gift to have walked in this life with him. Louis’ warmth and kindness was one of the first things I was met with when arriving to Boise. His adventurous spirit fueled many of our first experiences… I hope to live with the kind, welcoming and adventurous spirit that Louis displayed.

Emily

May 29, 2026

I had the opportunity to meet Louis when he worked as an intern at the Boise VA. He cared deeply about our veterans and would spend valuable time with them. I have been working with residents for 25 years now but his is a face and character that will always stick with me. Sending all my love.

Brodi

May 29, 2026

Louis was kind, patient, fun. I had my first inpatient rotation as a resident with Louis, who was in his 2nd year of residency at the time. I was so nervous going into work, and Louis quickly made me feel comfortable, respected and welcome… It was clear to me that he felt truly honored to be a physician. He was so enthusiastic about patient care, and he didn’t take for granted the privilege it is to be a doctor. I respected him for his attitude and had no dought that he was going to do a lot of good in the world. I am so grateful to have worked side by side with Louis, and I will always remember him for his kindness, his enthusiasm, and his genuinely caring and good soul.

Jamie

May 29, 2026

When I think about Louis, I remember his loud, contagious laughter. I always knew when he was in clinic or the hospital because you could hear his laugh from down the hall. He always made me smile. He was a joy to work with: his easy going demeanor, willingness to help, and his ability to bring laughter to the most challenging situations was a gift to all those who were lucky enough to share his presence.

Lucy and Jordan

Family tree

Other family members

Roger

Walter Terry Thomson

Jean Long Thomson

Richard Noble Hey

Miriam Jennings Hey

Judith Thomson

Philip Hey

Clare Thomson Humphreys

‹

›

Clare Thomson Humphreys

‹

›

‹

›

Louis Hey, MD

Donate

Subscription