Orville D. Thomas

VOSHELL, THOMAS, MERCER, RICHARDSON, GEBHARDT, WESCOTT, COX, ROLOFF, MARQUETTE, CHAPMAN

Posted By: d.beier (email)
Date: 2/12/2007 at 18:21:25

Orville D. Thomas
WADENA (Special) - Word has been received of the death of Orville Donald Thomas, of 215 Edward St. Rt. 3, Smyrna, Tenn. 37169-4213.
Mr. Thomas, 68, died of cancer at his home April 24, 1997.
He was born July 16, 1928, in Fairfield Township near Arlington, the son of James and Luseva (Voshell) Thomas. He attend school in Wadena and played six-man football under the nickname of "Flash." He served in the U.S Air Force from May 16, 1949 to Aug. 23, 1961. On Sept. 18, 1959, he married Betty (Mercer) Richardson in Tampa, Fla.
Survivors include his wife, Betty of Smyrna; two sons, Gene of Florida, and Dennis of Nashville; two daughters, Ginger (Charles) Gebhardt and Teresa Thomas, both of Nashville; three grandchildren; five sisters, Ollie Wescott of Wadena, Velma Cox of Oelwein, Lydia Roloff of Independence, Hazel Marquette of Princeton, and Charlotte Chapman of Davenport; and one brother, Milton 'Woody' Thomas of Wadena.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, five brothers, and two half-brothers.
Funeral services were held April 28, at the Apostolic Cornerstone United Pentecostal Church, Smyrna, with interment in Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, Nashville.