Carolyn B. Thomas' Obituary
Born during the Great Depression, our Mother grew up in Fredonia, a small town in southeast Kansas. Her father was one of three doctors in town. During World War II, he joined the Navy, serving on a ship in the South Pacific.
Carolyn graduated from Fredonia High School and the University of Kansas, and studied Spanish in the small mountain town of Saltillo, Mexico. She joined the Navy Waves herself after college.
She married Don Thomas, an Air Force pilot, and had two daughters, Laurie and Bonnie. She had an adventurous life as an Air Force wife, traveling the country and the world: the Philippines, Hong Kong, Bangkok, India, Japan, Spain, Morocco, Liberia, and throughout West Africa. In preparation for living in West Africa, she attended intensive training at the Defense Language Institute (French) and the Defense Intelligence School.
She worked as a piano teacher most of her life. She earned a Master's degree in Spanish. She returned to Mexico to teach primary school in Guadalajara. She studied Ballet, all the way up through toe shoes. She eventually settled in Tucson to be near her daughters and grandchildren, and spent the final years of her life in the loving care of her daughter, Bonnie.
She valued friends and family above all, maintaining correspondence with her best friends from Fredonia High School and all her friends throughout the world. She attended her high school reunions as often as she could.
She is survived by her husband Don, daughters Laurie and Bonnie, grandchildren Jesse, Walker, and Sean, and great grandchildren David Joshua and Mary Peachy.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, December 26th at 1:00 pm at St Andrew's Episcopal Church, 545 S 5th Ave. in Tucson.
May she Rest in Peace
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