Emil Warren Thomas

Photo Credit "Schnabel Studio, McHenry, ILL"

We certainly could and perhaps should start further back in time but for now let us start here with Emil Warren Thomas:

Excerpt from “My Family Tree” acknowledgement Kathy Nelson

Notes for Emil Warren Thomas:

b. June 21, 1891, in McHenry, Illinois

d. November 21, 1977, in Tucson, Arizona

m. Corrine Werden (1)

It is thought by some that Corrine died in childbirth however Everett Thomas of Woodstock, Illinois remembers a story about her funeral which took place when Lyle was 3 years old.

m. Ruth Frances Frank (2) October 15, 1926

During the final years of her life, Ruth suffered from Alzheimer’s [d]ementia and was taken care of by her [eldest] daughter and son-in-law, Wilma and Hank Moore.

Emil was the only child of Warren Thomas and Lovina Grimoldby. He attended college at the University of Illinois. His studies were interrupted during his junior year by a severe case of pleurisy. It took nearly a year for him to recover. Several of his ribs were removed in an attempt to cure this disease.

As a parent Emil was very strict, especially about dress code for the evening meal. He would always wear a suit and tie to each meal and his children were expected to change from their play clothes into something more appropriate. This tradition relaxed somewhat when they moved to New York and then on to Pennsylvania.

Emil’s primary occupation throughout his life was Tool Engineer. While living in Illinois, he worked for Woodstock Typewriters. During the time that Emil lived in Elmira, New York he worked for Remington Rand Corporation as supervisor and was a member of the American Society of Tool Engineers. After retiring, he would often be found refinishing and/or reupholstering furniture in the basement of his home.

During 1967, Emil and his wife Ruth moved from Elmira, New York to Tucson, Arizona to live closer to their daughter, Marilyn who had moved there the previous year.

Emil’s final resting place is next to his wife [Ruth] in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Lot 80, Section A in Elmira, New York.

On a personal note: I have many stories to share but for now I proclaim his love for gardening and his was the only front yard in New York where dandelions never had a chance! In Horseheads, New York, he had what I thought to be the largest backyard garden for miles around. I can see him sitting cross legged in his farmer john overalls tending each plant with care. I suspect he was disappointed upon moving Tucson to find the heat, lack of rain and caliche making gardening a difficult undertaking. But even this did not dissuade him, and he could be found in the spring tending a variety of plants which he covered to protect them from Tucson’s blazing sun.

There will be many stories shared from my past and perhaps from suggestions shared by this site's members. Just sitting here typing I can almost see him, his white hair, suit [and tie, or sitting cross legged watching his favorite football team, the Green Bay Packers, on his 17 inch, black and white television. At church, he could always be found sitting with Ruth on the second row from the front of the auditorium. Once in Arizona he spent much of his time, again cross legged on the floor painstakingly restoring antique furniture; hand weaving the cane strips, one-by-one. Looking back, a skill I often wish I had taken the time to learn.

The single word that best described him: dignified.