Betty Jean Thomas, 89

Betty Jean Thomas, age 89, of Missouri Valley, Iowa passed away on Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at Longview Care Center in Missouri Valley, Iowa. Betty was born March 31, 1926, to Clarence and Edna (Houghton) Royer and grew up on farms in the Woodbine area. After graduating from Woodbine High School, she attended San Diego State, where her twin brother was stationed in the U.S. Navy and came back to Iowa to begin a long teaching career in the country schools in Woodbine and Missouri Valley areas. She married William J. Thomas on August 20, 1947, in Woodbine, Iowa, and together raised two sons, Kent and Bruce, living in several homes in the Missouri Valley area before moving to the farm that is now known as the “Home Place” in 1955. After the country schools closed in the mid 60’s she began substitute teaching in the Missouri Valley school system continuing into her early 70’s and touching many lives over her long career. She joined the First Lutheran Church in Missouri Valley in the mid 50’s and was an active member, teaching Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and maintaining the Cradle Roll for many years. In addition to her teaching career, she was very involved in the family farm, lending a helping hand when needed. She enjoyed attending children’s and grandchildren’s school and sporting events, gardening, playing piano and organ, bird watching, and was a terrific cook whose beef and noodles with decorated cookies became a family Christmas tradition. Most of all she enjoyed her family and friends.

Betty is preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, William Thomas; her parents: Clarence and Edna Royer; sisters and husbands: Katherine and Romaine Adams, and Carolyn and Walter Babl; and twin brother and wife Bob and Betty Royer.

Betty is survived by her brother and wife Lynn and Jean Royer; sons and wives: Kent and Dixie and Bruce and Kathy; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and many friends and relatives.

Visitation will be held at the Hennessey Funeral Home in Missouri Valley, Iowa, on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. with a prayer service at 4 p.m. with Vicar Lucas Booher officiating. A funeral service will be held on Monday, June 8, at 10 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Missouri Valley.

The family would like to invite everyone to a time of lunch and fellowship at the First Lutheran Church after the committal service.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~