Lois E. Thomas

Lois E. Thomas, 94, of Kearney, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at Mother Hull Home in Kearney. Funeral services will be on Friday, January 20, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney. Pastor Dean Pofahl will officiate and burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to services at the funeral home. Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to the Mother Hull Home Activity Fund (Kearney, NE), the Alzheimer’s Association or the Miller Volunteer Fire Department. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney are in charge of the arrangements. Lois was born on March 30, 1928 to Archie and Minnie (Dodson) Eldridge in Denver, CO. They later moved to central Nebraska where Lois met her husband of 50 years, Gilbert Thomas. Lois taught in a one room school house in Watertown, NE and later taught middle school in Sumner, NE. She loved to play cards with friends, have her hair and nails done by her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She lovingly called all the grandchildren “dolly” (even the boys). Lois and Gilbert made a great team working together to raise their two daughters, Deborah and RoJeanna and supporting them with 4H and all the other activities of their youth. Once the girls were gone, Lois supported Gilbert while he farmed and she worked at Bowie Fertilizer, Inc. in Miller for many years. She was a proud member of the Miller United Methodist Church. Lois was known as being kind to all and was always ready to host supper and make homemade ice cream in the summer. She and Gilbert loved to dance on Saturday nights, and loved to take the grandkids with them when they were visiting. Surviving relatives include her daughters, Deborah Fagel (Ray Kolasa) of Williams Bay, WI and RoJeanna Thomas of Kearney. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Martha (Gary) Titiner of Aurora, IL, Michelle (Vito) Ciaramellano of Oakland, MI and Marcus (Courtney) Fagel of Briarcliff Manor, NY, step grandchildren, Rachel (James) Greve of Wisconsin Rapids, WI and Brian (Sarah) Kolasa of Chicago, IL; 7 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews and other close friends and family. Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Gilbert; her parents, Archie & Minnie Eldridge; her brother, Everett Eldridge; sister, Betty Lou Abels.

Tributes

Lois E. Thomas

March 30, 1928 - January 11, 2023