Obituary: Mary Katherine Thomas (Wood)

Mary Katherine Thomas (Wood) passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of Jan. 14, 2018. Mary was born Nov. 28, 1929, in Terre Haute, Indiana, to Robert Leonard Wood Sr. and Katherine Cecelia Frank.

In 1946, Mary married the love of her life, Donald Lee Thomas Sr., in Burbank, California. As a Navy wife, Mary followed Donald throughout his career around the United States until they finally settled in San Diego, California, following Donald’s retirement. Mary went on to become a nurse (LPN) and worked at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego, and the VA Hospital in La Jolla, California. Moving to Prescott, Arizona, in 1981, Mary worked at Samaritan Village for several years before retiring. Mary and Donald were married 55 years until Don’s passing in 2001.

Mary had four children: Jill Irene Thomas (Sanders), Leigh Thomas, Timothy Wayne Thomas, and Donald Lee Thomas Jr. She had seven

grandchildren: Brian Sanders, Matthew Sanders, Jeremy Sanders, Christian Thomas, Seth Thomas, Jared Thomas, and Michael Thomas. She also had 13 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

The family of Mary Thomas would like to thank the staff of New Horizons care facility in Chino Valley, Arizona, who cared lovingly for Mary.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Thomas Sr.; brothers, Robert Wood Jr. and William Wood; and sons, Timothy Thomas and Donald Thomas Jr.

A private interment will be held at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California. The family requests donations be made to the Prescott Public Library in lieu of flowers.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Homes. Please log on to www.ruffnerwakelin.com to sign Mary’s guestbook and share a memory with the family.

Information provided by survivors.