Ray was born on Jan. 5, 1919 outside of Olney, the son of William Perry Thomas and Dessie Otto Scherer.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Dora M. Thomas; his daughter, Sandra K. Ladd; grandson, Michael L. Ladd; his parents; brothers, Oral and Max Thomas and sister, Bernadine Wagy.
Surviving are his children, Ronald L. (Carol) Gillette, Karen E. Reed and Jill S. Thomas; 10 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren (with twins on the way).
Ray served with the U.S. Army in World War II in both the European and Pacific theaters, attaining a field commission to second lieutenant.
After the war, he relocated to Springfield to work in the office of the Secretary of State, where he met his wife Dora. He spent the remainder of his career with Addressograph Multigraph International, from which he retired to Tuscola.
Published in the Champaign, Illinois News-Gazette. Nov 20, 2015
Ray was born on Jan. 5, 1919 outside of Olney, the son of William Perry Thomas and Dessie Otto Scherer.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Dora M. Thomas; his daughter, Sandra K. Ladd; grandson, Michael L. Ladd; his parents; brothers, Oral and Max Thomas and sister, Bernadine Wagy.
Surviving are his children, Ronald L. (Carol) Gillette, Karen E. Reed and Jill S. Thomas; 10 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren (with twins on the way).
Ray served with the U.S. Army in World War II in both the European and Pacific theaters, attaining a field commission to second lieutenant.
After the war, he relocated to Springfield to work in the office of the Secretary of State, where he met his wife Dora. He spent the remainder of his career with Addressograph Multigraph International, from which he retired to Tuscola.
Published in the Champaign, Illinois News-Gazette. Nov 20, 2015
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