Fern Althea Thomas

Corvallis resident Fern Althea Thomas was granted her wish to go home on June 6, 2017. Fern was born in the logging town of Masten, Pennsylvania to Harry L. Speary and Bertha A. (Smith) Speary. She was the last of five children — following Rena, Bradley, Wilbur, and Margaret. When the Masten mill shut down and Fern was in the fourth grade, her family moved to Muncy, Pennsylvania. In 1941, she graduated from Muncy Creek High School. After high school, while working at the Carey-McFall Company in nearby Montoursville, Fern met Clayton (Bud) Thomas. Fern and Bud were married on April 26, 1942 when Bud, who was now in the Army and stationed in Washington, D.C., hitchhiked to Muncy for the wedding, before returning to his post. In 1944, son David Paul was born in Washington D.C. Bud and Fern remained in the military and in 1953, their daughter, Diane Marie, was born in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. From there, the Thomas family went to Hawaii, Maryland, Alabama, Alaska, New York City, and finally to Sunnyvale, California, where Col. and Mrs. Thomas retired in 1970. Fern was an exemplary homemaker and officer's wife. She took pride in her flower gardens and truly had a green thumb. Bud passed away in 1997 and six years later, Fern moved to Corvallis to be near her daughter. She lived in her own home in Stoneybrook Village until 2014 when she moved into daughter Diane's home where she resided until June 1, 2017. She passed at the Evergreen Hospice House with her daughter holding her hand while she made the journey. She was greeted on the other side by husband Bud; son David; her family of origin; and many cousins; aunts and uncles; and friends. It will be quite a reunion. She will be greatly missed by daughter Diane Moody; daughter-in-law Penny Thomas of New Braunfels, Texas; granddaughters Paula Coleman (husband Stephen) of San Marcos, Texas and Rhonda Thomas of Charlotte, North Carolina; grandsons Brian and Daniel Moody (wife Lyndsey) of Corvallis and great-grandchildren Cole and Kyle Coleman of Texas. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 17 at the Grenoble Funeral Home in Muncy, Pennsylvania, followed by graveside services at the Muncy Cemetery.

Tributes

Fern Althea Thomas

September 23, 1921 - June 6, 2017