Mertis Naomi Thomas was born on January 3, 1930, in Butte, Montana, to parents Fred and Mae (Hill) Buhl. She was one of eight children – two sisters and five brothers. She attended and graduated from Montana State School for the Deaf and Blind.
Following graduation, Mertis moved to the Seattle, Washington area; she followed some of her brothers that had moved there before her. She married Melvin Bergevin on September 7, 1953, in Marysville, Washington. They had three children - two daughters, Nancy and Wanda; and a son, Edwin. Melvin passed away in 1958. Mertis later married Clarence Thomas on March 6, of 1962. Clarence passed away in 2002.
Mertis was predominantly a homemaker, but she also had a special claim to fame in the working world outside of her home. She was trained and worked as the first blind telephone switchboard operator for the D.D.D. (long distance dialing) system that was developed in the 1960s.
Mertis had a great love for music. She learned to play the violin and piano and played the piano throughout her life. She took her children to the symphony every year. She exposed her family to the music of the classical greats and enjoyed listening to operatic and classical recordings.
Mertis was very strong in her faith in The Lord and she read her Bible daily. She was an adamant lover of animals. They had dogs, cats, and various other pets. Mertis loved and looked after each and every one of them. It could be said that she couldn't turn a stray away, and at times she could be the same way with people, as she had a great love for people as well.
Mertis is preceded in death by her parents; first husband Melville Bergevin and second husband Clarence W. Thomas; son Edwin Melville Bergevin; brothers Orris "Sonny", Kenneth, Merlin, and Orvil Buhl; and a sister, Thelma Cloud. Survivors include her daughters Wanda R. Carr and Nancy L. Stuart; a brother, Orphus "Shorty" Buhl; a sister, Gladys "Sis" Jimeno; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Service followed by a reception and committal will take place in Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home on Thursday, February 9, 2012, at 1pm.
Remembrances in lieu of flowers may be made in Mertis' memory to your local Humane Society or Lions Club.
Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Portland, OR. (503) 292-6611.
Following graduation, Mertis moved to the Seattle, Washington area; she followed some of her brothers that had moved there before her. She married Melvin Bergevin on September 7, 1953, in Marysville, Washington. They had three children - two daughters, Nancy and Wanda; and a son, Edwin. Melvin passed away in 1958. Mertis later married Clarence Thomas on March 6, of 1962. Clarence passed away in 2002.
Mertis was predominantly a homemaker, but she also had a special claim to fame in the working world outside of her home. She was trained and worked as the first blind telephone switchboard operator for the D.D.D. (long distance dialing) system that was developed in the 1960s.
Mertis had a great love for music. She learned to play the violin and piano and played the piano throughout her life. She took her children to the symphony every year. She exposed her family to the music of the classical greats and enjoyed listening to operatic and classical recordings.
Mertis was very strong in her faith in The Lord and she read her Bible daily. She was an adamant lover of animals. They had dogs, cats, and various other pets. Mertis loved and looked after each and every one of them. It could be said that she couldn't turn a stray away, and at times she could be the same way with people, as she had a great love for people as well.
Mertis is preceded in death by her parents; first husband Melville Bergevin and second husband Clarence W. Thomas; son Edwin Melville Bergevin; brothers Orris "Sonny", Kenneth, Merlin, and Orvil Buhl; and a sister, Thelma Cloud. Survivors include her daughters Wanda R. Carr and Nancy L. Stuart; a brother, Orphus "Shorty" Buhl; a sister, Gladys "Sis" Jimeno; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Service followed by a reception and committal will take place in Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home on Thursday, February 9, 2012, at 1pm.
Remembrances in lieu of flowers may be made in Mertis' memory to your local Humane Society or Lions Club.
Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Portland, OR. (503) 292-6611.
Mertis Naomi Thomas was born on January 3, 1930, in Butte, Montana, to parents Fred and Mae (Hill) Buhl. She was one of eight children – two sisters and five brothers. She attended and graduated from Montana State School for the Deaf and Blind.
Following graduation, Mertis moved to the Seattle, Washington area; she followed some of her brothers that had moved there before her. She married Melvin Bergevin on September 7, 1953, in Marysville, Washington. They had three children - two daughters, Nancy and Wanda; and a son, Edwin. Melvin passed away in 1958. Mertis later married Clarence Thomas on March 6, of 1962. Clarence passed away in 2002.
Mertis was predominantly a homemaker, but she also had a special claim to fame in the working world outside of her home. She was trained and worked as the first blind telephone switchboard operator for the D.D.D. (long distance dialing) system that was developed in the 1960s.
Mertis had a great love for music. She learned to play the violin and piano and played the piano throughout her life. She took her children to the symphony every year. She exposed her family to the music of the classical greats and enjoyed listening to operatic and classical recordings.
Mertis was very strong in her faith in The Lord and she read her Bible daily. She was an adamant lover of animals. They had dogs, cats, and various other pets. Mertis loved and looked after each and every one of them. It could be said that she couldn't turn a stray away, and at times she could be the same way with people, as she had a great love for people as well.
Mertis is preceded in death by her parents; first husband Melville Bergevin and second husband Clarence W. Thomas; son Edwin Melville Bergevin; brothers Orris "Sonny", Kenneth, Merlin, and Orvil Buhl; and a sister, Thelma Cloud. Survivors include her daughters Wanda R. Carr and Nancy L. Stuart; a brother, Orphus "Shorty" Buhl; a sister, Gladys "Sis" Jimeno; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Service followed by a reception and committal will take place in Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home on Thursday, February 9, 2012, at 1pm.
Remembrances in lieu of flowers may be made in Mertis' memory to your local Humane Society or Lions Club.
Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Portland, OR. (503) 292-6611.
Following graduation, Mertis moved to the Seattle, Washington area; she followed some of her brothers that had moved there before her. She married Melvin Bergevin on September 7, 1953, in Marysville, Washington. They had three children - two daughters, Nancy and Wanda; and a son, Edwin. Melvin passed away in 1958. Mertis later married Clarence Thomas on March 6, of 1962. Clarence passed away in 2002.
Mertis was predominantly a homemaker, but she also had a special claim to fame in the working world outside of her home. She was trained and worked as the first blind telephone switchboard operator for the D.D.D. (long distance dialing) system that was developed in the 1960s.
Mertis had a great love for music. She learned to play the violin and piano and played the piano throughout her life. She took her children to the symphony every year. She exposed her family to the music of the classical greats and enjoyed listening to operatic and classical recordings.
Mertis was very strong in her faith in The Lord and she read her Bible daily. She was an adamant lover of animals. They had dogs, cats, and various other pets. Mertis loved and looked after each and every one of them. It could be said that she couldn't turn a stray away, and at times she could be the same way with people, as she had a great love for people as well.
Mertis is preceded in death by her parents; first husband Melville Bergevin and second husband Clarence W. Thomas; son Edwin Melville Bergevin; brothers Orris "Sonny", Kenneth, Merlin, and Orvil Buhl; and a sister, Thelma Cloud. Survivors include her daughters Wanda R. Carr and Nancy L. Stuart; a brother, Orphus "Shorty" Buhl; a sister, Gladys "Sis" Jimeno; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Service followed by a reception and committal will take place in Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home on Thursday, February 9, 2012, at 1pm.
Remembrances in lieu of flowers may be made in Mertis' memory to your local Humane Society or Lions Club.
Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Portland, OR. (503) 292-6611.
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