Stuart E. Thomas

THOMAS, RODWELL, SMITH, KLAMAN

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 6/8/2011 at 10:05:41

Stuart E. Thomas, 89, of Vero Beach, Florida, died Sunday, June 5, 2011 at Windmill Manor in Coralville, Iowa.

No services are planned at this time. Memorials may be directed to Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 900 27th Avenue, Vero Beach, Florida, 32960. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City is handling arrangements.

Stuart was born June 4, 1922 in Kilbourn, Wisconsin, the son of Edmond and Esther (Rodwell) Thomas. Growing up in Wisconsin in a family of 7 children, he graduated from Wisconsin Dells High School served in the Army-Air Corps and later moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he worked as a building engineer for Federated Department Stores, serving cities up and down the east coast. He retired in the late 1970’s and very much enjoyed living in Florida. He traveled to Iowa in January to be near family yet had planned to return to Florida.

He was a member, for 55 years, of Harold B. Larkin American Legion Post 187 in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin and Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Vero Beach.

Survivors include two sons, Stuart (Donna) of Coralville, Iowa and Steven of Germantown, Tennessee; two step-sons, Alan Smith of Vero Beach, Florida and Lyle Smith of Tonawanda, New York; brothers, Albert Thomas of Jacksonville, Florida and Karl Thomas of Greensboro, South Carolina; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Stuart was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Marion (Klaman) Thomas in 1959, his subsequent wife Lila Thomas in December 2010 and a step-daughter, Darlene.