Ona Ellen Adamson Thomas

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Ona Ellen Adamson Thomas, 92, lifelong resident of Parke County and recently of Brazil, died at Cloverleaf Healthcare on Monday, April 5, 2010 following a brief illness.

She was born April 17, 1917 in Parke County, the daughter of Howard Randall and Bertha Carmichael Adamson. She graduated from Greencastle High School as well as Indiana Teachers College. Ellen taught at Lena School for one year. She married Gerald Thomas May 7, 1939. Together they owned and operated Thomas Store in Lena for many years.

Ellen volunteered at the Clay County Food Pantry. She was a member of the McKinley Hill Church of Christ, the Tri-County Home Extension Club and Good Neighbor Club. Ellen received the distinction of honorary alumna of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She was also an avid seamstress and quilter and enjoyed spending time and playing games with her family and friends.

In her free time she enjoyed bird watching, reading, poetry and writing letters to friends and family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter Sharon Thomas; and two brothers, Raymond Adamson and George Adamson.

Survivors include two sons Mike Thomas of Birmingham, Mich. and Steve Thomas and wife Carolyn of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; daughter-in-law Carolyn Thomas of Grosse Pointe, Mich.; grandchildren Stacy Koehler and husband John of Center Point, Lesley Hermann and husband Peter of Nashville, Tenn., Brendan Thomas of Chicago and Alexander Thomas, Nickolas Thomas and Kristopher Thomas, all of Bloomfield Hills; great-grandchildren Ashley, Erica, Emma and Conrad Koehler of Center Point and Hazel Hermann of Nashville; sister Ethel Watt of Greencastle; sisters-in-law Delilah Adamson of Rockville and Norma Lu Matthias of Point Reyes Station, Calif.; as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family members.

Services will be at French Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Saturday with Pastor Rick Thomas officiating. Burial will follow at Calcutta Cemetery.

Calling will be at the funeral home Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. and again Saturday from noon until time of services.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clay County Food Pantry, 506 E. Pinckley St., Brazil, IN 47834.

Visit www.frenchfuneralhome.com to light a candle in her memory.