Helen Elizabeth (Porter) THOMAS

THOMAS, NORLING, HELMS, PORTER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/6/2008 at 15:06:45

Elizabeth Thomas
Nov. 16, 1931-May 3, 2008

(Helen) Elizabeth Thomas passed away Saturday May 3rd, surrounded by her entire immediate family and Reverend Nancy Peters. Elizabeth is survived by her husband of 54 years, Raymond, and her five children, Deborah Norling, Brian (Anne), Scott, Mark (Jacqueline) and Diana Helms. She had eight grandchildren, Michael, Rebecca, Karen, Kelsey, Cameron, Taylor, Bradley and Samantha, and great-granddaughter Jamie. Born to Walter and Florence Porter, she was raised in Eagle Grove, Iowa, the youngest of three children. Her brother David worked in sales for an Iowa based seed company. Her brother Howard was a Medic serving in the 101'st Airborne who perished in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. She was a third generation kindergarten teacher and eventually met and married Raymond on June 27, 1954. They moved to San Jose shortly thereafter. She became a full time mother and worked tirelessly as a volunteer for countless committees and organizations. In addition to serving the Home & School Clubs at Carlton Elementary, Union Junior High and Leigh High, she worked on boards of Union Little League and Pop Warner Football, as well as being a Girl Scout Troup Leader. For the American Heart Association she became a neighborhood fundraising coordinator. Most of all, she was actively involved with the First Congregational Church of San Jose. She had a beautiful voice and sang in the church choir. In more recent years she was extremely active in the Women's Fellowship. An extremely patriotic person, in 1970 she organized an Iowa-Style July 4th block party on Kingwood Way that has continued annually. Each year the party is a mix between existing neighbors and friends who moved years ago, but return each year. A sports enthusiast, she logged countless hours traveling to and watching football, wrestling, baseball, soccer, swimming, ice hockey, tennis and softball competitions in which her children and grandchildren participated. She also followed local college and professional teams with great interest. Memorial Service will be held Friday May 9th at 2:00pm at the First Congregational Church, 1980 Leigh Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125. Internment will be privately held at Los Gatos Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent in her memory to the First Congregational Church Kitchen Renovation Fund to the address above.

San Jose Mercury News, CA
May 6, 2008