Alice Louise Thomas, of Pittsburg, passed away peacefully at home with her family present on Sunday, February 26, 2023. She was 89 years old.
Alice was born on January 25, 1934 to Williamson Joseph and Lena Farneman in Miami, OK, where she lived briefly. Her family then moved to Joplin, MO, until her dad's retirement. At that time, they moved to the family farm near Columbus, KS. The farm has been in the Farneman family since the 1870s. Alice attended Columbus High School and graduated in 1952. She then entered Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg to study Medical Technology. While at KSTC, she met her future husband, Harold L. Thomas. They wed in 1956, and enjoyed 66 years together. During this time they had 3 sons, David (Elaine), Steven, and Scott (Karen).
Alice completed her Medical Technology training at Research Hospital in Kansas City and became a registered Medical Technician. In the years that followed, she went on to work for Dr. Howard Elliott and raise her family.
She returned to Kansas State College of Pittsburg in 1971 and completed the now-available Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology Degree in 1974.
Alice decided in the fall of 1977 to go back to Pitt State and work towards a nursing degree. This culminated in May of 1980 in receiving a B.S. in Nursing. She then completed the registry to become an R.N. Her work experience as an R.N. began in 1980 at New Horizons as a staff nurse, Assistant Director of Nursing, and Director of Nursing. In 1991, she began work as a Home Health Nurse for Mt. Carmel in Pittsburg, which continued until her retirement in 1995.
Alice loved people and loved helping others with many years of volunteering at the First United Methodist Church, Wesley House, and Meals on Wheels, and she was a faithful friend to many of the residents of local nursing facilities.
She loved quilting, and marked almost every major family event with a beautiful quilt as a gift. She and Harold really enjoyed traveling, and they have many foreign destinations to their credit.
They were avid Gorillas fans and rarely missed a Pitt State game. Alice was also a passionate lover of dachshunds, with Rudolph, Blitzen, and Waldo being the 3 that were family members.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents, and two sisters: Bonnie Jean Mosler and Hazel Marie Sampson. She is also survived by her four grandchildren Erin (Pablo) Vasquez, Alexander, Allison, and Madison, along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family.
We will miss Alice more than words can say.
Services will be Saturday, March 4th, at the First United Methodist Church in Pittsburg. Visitation with family will be held in the Church Parlor at 9:30am and Sanctuary Service at 10:30am. Refreshments will follow in Fellowship Hall at the Church.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Alice may be made to Pittsburg First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund or Wesley House in Pittsburg.
