Thomas, Lilith Joan 1929-2016

THOMAS, SMITH, MURROW, FREEL

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/8/2016 at 11:18:30

Lilith J. Thomas
December 23, 1929 - September 28, 2016

Lilith Joan Thomas, age 86, of Runnells, passed away, September 28, 2016, at the Good Samaritan Center of Indianola, Iowa. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at the Runnells Christian Church. Burial will follow at Lowman Cemetery. The family will greet friends following the burial at the church with a luncheon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the church. Condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com

The daughter of Grover and Clella (Smith) Murrow, Lilith was born on December 23, 1929, on the family farm in Runnells, Iowa. Lilith grew up on the family farm in Camp Township just outside the community of Runnells, Iowa. She attended Camp Township school through the 8th grade and graduated from Runnells High School in 1947. Lilith attended Iowa Teachers College following high school graduating in one year with her teaching certificate for one room schools. She taught at a country school in the Vandalia area for the 4 years prior to her marriage.

On January 26, 1952 she was married to Edward Lester Thomas. The first 4 years of their married life was spent in Fairbanks, Alaska. Upon returning from Alaska they made their home in Runnells.

Lilith was first and foremost a wife and a mother but she was also very well known around the community as a prize winning crotchetier. In 1976 Lilith began entering her crotchet work in the Iowa State Fair where she literally won hundreds of ribbons over the next 30 years. Seven years in a row she was the Grand Champion of Crocheting.

Lilith was a member of the Runnells Lions Club, Ernest West American Legion Auxiliary, and the Runnells Christian Church.

Those left to honor her memory include her daughter JoAnn Thomas of Newton, IA, her son Charles Thomas of Omaha, NE, her granddaughter Erin Thomas and her mother Diana, and three sisters-in-law Thelma Freel of Davenport, IA, Janice Thomas of Runnells and Lela Murrow of Stuart, IA, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. ~ The Coburn Funeral Home, Colfax, Iowa 28 Sept 2016