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Olivia Patricia “Pat” <I>Trevillyan</I> Thomas

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Olivia Patricia “Pat” Trevillyan Thomas

Birth
Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa, USA
Death
16 Nov 2009 (aged 114)
Williamsburg, Kings County, New York, USA
Burial
Hampton, Rock Island County, Illinois, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Burial of Olivia Patricia "Pat" Thomas, 114, will be 1 p.m. today at Hampton Township Cemetery. Memorial services were held Nov. 23 in Amherst, N.Y.

She passed away Nov. 16, 2009, in Williamsburg, N.Y.

Born Olivia Patricia Trevellyan on June 29, 1895, in Iowa, Pat grew up in Moline.

Pat married fellow student Frederick Thomas in Hampton. The couple moved to Snyder, N.Y., in the 1940s, where Frederick was an engineering professor. In Snyder, Pat was president of the Amherst Garden Club and honored for her work as the "Garden Lady." She was a member of the Hampton Historical Society.

Olivia Patricia Thomas rose quickly on the list of the world's oldest people by simply biding time in Williamsville, NY's St. Francis Nursing Home, her health and sense of humor perfectly intact.

Thomas, turned 114 in August, and was then the fourth-oldest living person, trailing only Gertrude Baines of California, 115, and Kama Chinen of Japan and Mary Josephine Ray of New Hampshire, who celebrated their 114th birthdays in May that year.

Dubbed "the plant lady" by neighbors for the gorgeous garden she kept at her former home in Snyder, NY, Thomas, who went by Pat, left trowel behind when she moved to the Reist Street nursing home five years before. Those days, she got her kicks from organized activities, including music and exercise.

Thomas, who was strong enough to move about on her own in a wheelchair, was especially partial to "rhythm in motion" sessions where they put some music on, talk about it and kind of move around a little. She loved music. It was really a good activity for her.

Thomas was a social butterfly who enjoyed talking with the staff and people who dropped in to visit, including her former longtime neighbor, Frank Kelly.

As for winning the war of attrition that one must survive to become the oldest living person, Thomas, whose long-term memory was better than her recollection of more recent happenings, seemingly couldn't care less.

Nobody knew for sure if she knew she was the fourth-oldest, but she joked about other things. She always seemed very good in that way.

Women, and American women in particular, seem to hold a pronounced advantage when it comes to reaching superold status. Thomas was one of five U. S. women among the 10 oldest people — all women — listed by the Gerontology Research Group that year.

Of the world's 79 supercentenarians — people at least 110 years old— just six were men.

Each year staff would not let Thomas forget she had a date for a party celebrating yet another milestone in her life. Cake and lemonade were always served, and Thomas always received a bouquet of roses to complement her new outfit.
Pat always looked forward to it and had her hair curled for the special occasion.

When Olivia Patricia Thomas passed away at the age of 114, she had lived a life that included parts of 3 centuries, and up until that day, she was the oldest person in America – and the third oldest person in the world.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks what it calls "supercentenarians," Thomas, holds a few other records: She was also the oldest resident ever documented in the history of New York State and the longest-lived person ever born in Iowa.

It was unclear if Thomas ever fully grasped her place in history, at her age the memory wasn't all it used to be.

Thomas married her childhood sweetheart, Frederick, whom she met in kindergarten in Iowa. They settled in to Buffalo but did not have any children. She did however have her garden. Affectionally as the "Plant Lady" , many attribute Thomas' longevity to her devotion to her homegrown herbs.

She was also fond of a little wine with dinner. And cookies afterward.

She is survived by many friends, including the Francis Kellies, of Snyder, who were like family to her. She was preceded in death by her husband on April 8, 1982.

Her husband, Frederick "Tommy" Thomas' ashes, were buried in Hampton Township Cemetery, next to his mother's grave. When he died in 1982, Mrs. Thomas asked her friend, Beverly Coder of Hampton, to make sure her ashes were buried next to him.

"She was nice and always interested in learning new things and seeing new places," Ms. Coder said of Mrs. Thomas, describing her as very friendly and outgoing. "As soon as you met her, she was your best friend," she said.

Ms. Coder said Mrs. Thomas, much like her own mother, was a petite woman — "but powerful."

(Obituary Posted Online Quad City Dispatch: Dec. 14, 2009, 5:32 pm; Buffalonews.com Updated: August 21, 2010, 12:13 AM; and http://urdead2me.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/rip-olivia-pat-thomas/)




Name: Olive Trevellyan [Olive Trevillyan]
Age: 4
Birth Date: Jun 1895
Birthplace: Iowa
Home in 1900: Rock Island Ward 6, Rock Island, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Sam Trevellyan
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother's Name: Mary Trevellyan
Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Occupation: View on Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Sam Trevellyan 46
Mary Trevellyan 44
Luther Trevellyan 21
Vernie Trevellyan 19
Meta Trevellyan 11
Olive Trevellyan 4

(Source: 1900 United States Federal Census)


Name: Patricia T Thomas
Gender: Female
Birth Year: abt 1897
Birthplace: Iowa
Race: White
Home in 1930: Urbana, Champaign, Illinois
Map of Home: View Map
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's Name: Frederick H Thomas
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Occupation:
Education:
Military service:
Rent/home value:
Age at first marriage:
Parents' birthplace:
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Frederick H Thomas 33
Patricia T Thomas 33
Walter G Mc Allister 33

(Source: 1930 United States Federal Census)


Name: Patricia L Thomas
Age: 43
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birthplace: Iowa
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Home in 1940: Urbana, Champaign, Illinois
Map of Home in 1940: View Map
Street: W California
House Number: 310
Inferred Residence in 1935: Urbana, Champaign, Illinois
Residence in 1935: Same House
Sheet Number: 15A
Attended School or College: No
Highest Grade Completed: High School, 4th year
Weeks Worked in 1939: 0
Income: 0
Income Other Sources: No
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Frederick H Thomas 42
Patricia L Thomas 43

(Source: 1940 United States Federal Census)


Name: Patricia T. Thomas
Last Residence: 14226 Buffalo, Erie, New York
Born: 29 Jun 1895
Died: 16 Nov 2009
State (Year) SSN issued: New York (1957-1958)

(sOURCE: U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current)


********
pARENTS:
Samuel Trevillyan
Mary Margaret Kreps

Spouse:
Frederick Hemenway Thomas


Burial of Olivia Patricia "Pat" Thomas, 114, will be 1 p.m. today at Hampton Township Cemetery. Memorial services were held Nov. 23 in Amherst, N.Y.

She passed away Nov. 16, 2009, in Williamsburg, N.Y.

Born Olivia Patricia Trevellyan on June 29, 1895, in Iowa, Pat grew up in Moline.

Pat married fellow student Frederick Thomas in Hampton. The couple moved to Snyder, N.Y., in the 1940s, where Frederick was an engineering professor. In Snyder, Pat was president of the Amherst Garden Club and honored for her work as the "Garden Lady." She was a member of the Hampton Historical Society.

Olivia Patricia Thomas rose quickly on the list of the world's oldest people by simply biding time in Williamsville, NY's St. Francis Nursing Home, her health and sense of humor perfectly intact.

Thomas, turned 114 in August, and was then the fourth-oldest living person, trailing only Gertrude Baines of California, 115, and Kama Chinen of Japan and Mary Josephine Ray of New Hampshire, who celebrated their 114th birthdays in May that year.

Dubbed "the plant lady" by neighbors for the gorgeous garden she kept at her former home in Snyder, NY, Thomas, who went by Pat, left trowel behind when she moved to the Reist Street nursing home five years before. Those days, she got her kicks from organized activities, including music and exercise.

Thomas, who was strong enough to move about on her own in a wheelchair, was especially partial to "rhythm in motion" sessions where they put some music on, talk about it and kind of move around a little. She loved music. It was really a good activity for her.

Thomas was a social butterfly who enjoyed talking with the staff and people who dropped in to visit, including her former longtime neighbor, Frank Kelly.

As for winning the war of attrition that one must survive to become the oldest living person, Thomas, whose long-term memory was better than her recollection of more recent happenings, seemingly couldn't care less.

Nobody knew for sure if she knew she was the fourth-oldest, but she joked about other things. She always seemed very good in that way.

Women, and American women in particular, seem to hold a pronounced advantage when it comes to reaching superold status. Thomas was one of five U. S. women among the 10 oldest people — all women — listed by the Gerontology Research Group that year.

Of the world's 79 supercentenarians — people at least 110 years old— just six were men.

Each year staff would not let Thomas forget she had a date for a party celebrating yet another milestone in her life. Cake and lemonade were always served, and Thomas always received a bouquet of roses to complement her new outfit.
Pat always looked forward to it and had her hair curled for the special occasion.

When Olivia Patricia Thomas passed away at the age of 114, she had lived a life that included parts of 3 centuries, and up until that day, she was the oldest person in America – and the third oldest person in the world.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks what it calls "supercentenarians," Thomas, holds a few other records: She was also the oldest resident ever documented in the history of New York State and the longest-lived person ever born in Iowa.

It was unclear if Thomas ever fully grasped her place in history, at her age the memory wasn't all it used to be.

Thomas married her childhood sweetheart, Frederick, whom she met in kindergarten in Iowa. They settled in to Buffalo but did not have any children. She did however have her garden. Affectionally as the "Plant Lady" , many attribute Thomas' longevity to her devotion to her homegrown herbs.

She was also fond of a little wine with dinner. And cookies afterward.

She is survived by many friends, including the Francis Kellies, of Snyder, who were like family to her. She was preceded in death by her husband on April 8, 1982.

Her husband, Frederick "Tommy" Thomas' ashes, were buried in Hampton Township Cemetery, next to his mother's grave. When he died in 1982, Mrs. Thomas asked her friend, Beverly Coder of Hampton, to make sure her ashes were buried next to him.

"She was nice and always interested in learning new things and seeing new places," Ms. Coder said of Mrs. Thomas, describing her as very friendly and outgoing. "As soon as you met her, she was your best friend," she said.

Ms. Coder said Mrs. Thomas, much like her own mother, was a petite woman — "but powerful."

(Obituary Posted Online Quad City Dispatch: Dec. 14, 2009, 5:32 pm; Buffalonews.com Updated: August 21, 2010, 12:13 AM; and http://urdead2me.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/rip-olivia-pat-thomas/)




Name: Olive Trevellyan [Olive Trevillyan]
Age: 4
Birth Date: Jun 1895
Birthplace: Iowa
Home in 1900: Rock Island Ward 6, Rock Island, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Sam Trevellyan
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother's Name: Mary Trevellyan
Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Occupation: View on Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Sam Trevellyan 46
Mary Trevellyan 44
Luther Trevellyan 21
Vernie Trevellyan 19
Meta Trevellyan 11
Olive Trevellyan 4

(Source: 1900 United States Federal Census)


Name: Patricia T Thomas
Gender: Female
Birth Year: abt 1897
Birthplace: Iowa
Race: White
Home in 1930: Urbana, Champaign, Illinois
Map of Home: View Map
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's Name: Frederick H Thomas
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Occupation:
Education:
Military service:
Rent/home value:
Age at first marriage:
Parents' birthplace:
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Frederick H Thomas 33
Patricia T Thomas 33
Walter G Mc Allister 33

(Source: 1930 United States Federal Census)


Name: Patricia L Thomas
Age: 43
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birthplace: Iowa
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Home in 1940: Urbana, Champaign, Illinois
Map of Home in 1940: View Map
Street: W California
House Number: 310
Inferred Residence in 1935: Urbana, Champaign, Illinois
Residence in 1935: Same House
Sheet Number: 15A
Attended School or College: No
Highest Grade Completed: High School, 4th year
Weeks Worked in 1939: 0
Income: 0
Income Other Sources: No
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Frederick H Thomas 42
Patricia L Thomas 43

(Source: 1940 United States Federal Census)


Name: Patricia T. Thomas
Last Residence: 14226 Buffalo, Erie, New York
Born: 29 Jun 1895
Died: 16 Nov 2009
State (Year) SSN issued: New York (1957-1958)

(sOURCE: U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current)


********
pARENTS:
Samuel Trevillyan
Mary Margaret Kreps

Spouse:
Frederick Hemenway Thomas




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  • Created by: Bob & AJ
  • Added: May 11, 2012
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89968585/olivia_patricia-thomas: accessed ), memorial page for Olivia Patricia “Pat” Trevillyan Thomas (29 Jun 1895–16 Nov 2009), Find a Grave Memorial ID 89968585, citing Hampton Township Cemetery, Hampton, Rock Island County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Bob & AJ (contributor 47790994).