Norman "Sam" Thomas

Norman Francis "Sam" Thomas, one of ten children of Frank George and Mildred Florence (Reason) Thomas, was born on May 7, 1929 at Bedford, IA. He grew up in rural Taylor County and Adams County, IA and attended school in Corning before serving in the Army Air Force in 1946 and 1947. Sam and Barbara Ann Finkle were married on August 7, 1948 at Brooks, IA. They made their home in the Corning and Villisca, IA area. Their marriage was blessed with three children Marilynn Ann, Norman Lee "Sammy", and Rebecca Lynn. Sam worked as a welder for the Burlington Railroad for 11 years and was a co-owner of Thomas Brothers Trucking Inc. He loved to drive trucks and considered it both his career and hobby. In 1994 Sam retired after running his trucking company for 23 years. He continued to work however, and drove until his health forced him to quit in July of 2002. Sam also was a great student of history and enjoyed learning about past military battles in particular. Sam and Barbara moved from their home in Mineola, IA to Glenwood, IA in 2001. Sam was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Mineola, IA and the Silver City Masonic Lodge, where he served as Master for many years. ...[more]

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am and Barbara had been married nearly 55 years when Sam died on Saturday, July 26, 2003 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, having attained the age of 74 years, 2 months, and 19 days. Sam is preceded in death by his parents; three sisters; and a granddaughter. He is survived by his wife Barbara Thomas of Glenwood, IA; daughters Marilynn Gordon and her husband Carl of Malvern, IA and Rebecca Yeager and her husband Jeffrey of Blair, NE; son Norman "Sammy" Thomas and his wife Lynda Jo of Silver City, IA; sisters Betty Bowman and her husband Dale of Corning, IA, June Blizzard of Council Bluffs, IA, and Dixie Steiber of Shenandoah, IA; brothers Clifford Thomas and his wife Deloris of Council Bluffs, Dale Thomas and his wife Anita of Creston, IA; brother-in-law Edward Fort of Red Oak, IA; eight grandchildren, six great grandchildren; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.