Robert C. Thomas

1916 - 2010  (93 years)

• Name	Robert C. Thomas  [1]
  Born	23 Jul 1916	Douglas County, Missouri, USA   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Biography	2010	Santa Ana, Orange County, California, USA   [2]
  	Bio from FindAGrave entry: ROBERT "BOB" CHRISTOPHER THOMAS SR. Robert Christopher Thomas, known by most as Bob, was born July 23,1916 at Mountain View, Missouri, the son of John Wesley Thomas and Bessie Viola Koonce Thomas, both of Missouri. A few months after his birth, seeking better farming opportunities, the family relocated to Lincoln County, Oklahoma. His elementary education was obtained in Oklahoma, and in 1935 he graduated from Chandler High School, Chandler, Oklahoma. Then followed two years at Junior A & M College at Tishomingo, Oklahoma, and one year at Central State College, just north of Oklahoma City. On June 26,1938 Bob married Edna Ruth Goodbary, in the Friends Christian Church, north of Chandler, Oklahoma, and this union were born two children, Roberta Ann Mullings in 1939, and Robert C. Thomas Jr 1953. In 1943 Bob enlisted in the US Army at Ft. MacArthur, San Pedro, and completed him basic infantry training at Camp Robert, California. He shipped overseas and joined the 2nd Special Brigade, Army Amphibious Engineers, 592nd Shore and Boat Regiment, and ended the war in Inchon, Korea. It is worth noting that the 2nd Special Brigade made more hostile beach landings than any other unit in WWII. He returned from his service overseas in 1946 and went back to work at Todd Shipyard. In late 1946, Bob along with D.W.Clark established the C & T Electric Company in Newport Beach. After his partner's death in 1949, Bob moved the business to Santa Ana where he established Thomas Electric. Over the years he performed a great deal of service and repair work for many of the old early families of Orange County, resulting in friendships of which he was extremely proud. He never advertised his business, relying on word of mouth, the quality of work, and his intergity and reputation. In 1995, after nearly 50 years in business, Bob and Ruth closed the doors to Thomas Electric and retired his electrical contracting liscense. Bob was a member of the Friends Christians Church, and was a past president of Toatstmaster's International, but he especially enjoyed his work with the many different Masonic organizations here in Southern California, and was partcularly proud of his nearly 50 years of supporting youth groups such as Job"s Daughters and DeMolay. Accomplishment is Free Masonary: Member Santa Ana Masonic Lodge #505. Past Worshipful Master, Laguna Beach Masonic Lodge #672. Member Orange Grove Masonic Lodge #293. Member, Order of Eastern Star. Member Scotish Rite. Member Royal Arch Chapter #56. Past High Priest, Santa Ana Royal Arch Chapter #73. Past Illustrious Master of Santa Ana Council #14. Inspection of Grand Council of Cryptic Masons, Arch #15 for 7 years. Past Commander, Santa Ana Commandery of Knight Templars #36. Member,Red Cross of Constatine. Member, Los Angeles Priory #27. Past Sovereigh Master of Queens St John and Orange Coast Council of AMD (Alied Masonic Degrees). Member, High twelve Club. Member, Al Maleka Shrine. Charter life memeber of El Bandito Shrine Club. Member Los Nietos Valleyl Shrine Club. Masonic Representative to the State of Maryland. RECIPIENT OF THE FOLLOWING AWARDS: Kinght of the York Cross of Honor-KYCH,1976 Ish Soki Award,1976. Knights Templar Meritorious Service Medal Cross of Honor, 1978. DeMolar Legion of Honor,2003. For the most part, Bob enjoyed good health most of his life, and continued to live on his own after the passing of his beloved wife in 2001. NOTE: In December of 2009 Bob suffered a stroke, and after his discharge from the hospital he lived with his daughter and son, and while somewhat limited by his declining physical condition enjoyed the company of family ad great deal. On Tuesday, June 29th Bob suffered a much more severe stroke, from which he did not recover. Bob passed away peacefully at the home of his daughter, Roberta on July 3,2010. He is survived by one sister, Lorraine Stinchcomb, of Oklahoma City, his daughter Roberta of Santa Ana, and son Robert and daughter-in-law-Mila of Placenita, as well as grandchildren Celane, Rebekah, Robert III, John Wesley and Emily Ruth, and great grandchildren, Nicole, Christopher, Madeline and Ethan. Family links: Parents: John Wesley Thomas (1891 - 1977) Bessie Viola Koonce Thomas (1892 - 1960) Spouse: Edna Ruth Goodbary Burial: Fairhaven Memorial Park Santa Ana Orange County California, USA
  Died	3 Jul 2010	Santa Ana, Orange County, California, USA   [2]
  Buried	Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, Orange County, Calfiornia, USA   [2]
  Person ID	I5117	Full | ProgenitorWalker
  Last Modified	28 Oct 2012

  
  

  Father	John Wesley Thomas,   b. 3 Oct 1891, Howell County, Missouri, USA ,   d. 18 Jan 1977, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, USA  (Age 85 years)
  Mother	Bessie Viola Koonce,   b. 31 May 1892, Howell County, Missouri, USA ,   d. 7 Nov 1960, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, USA  (Age 68 years)
  Married	25 Aug 1914	Howell County, Missouri, USA   [3, 4]
  	Date of license, not marriage.
  Family ID	F379	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Edna Ruth Goodbary
  Married	26 Jun 1938	Friends Christian Church, Chandler, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, USA   [2]
  Children	1. Robert C. Thomas, DNA
  Last Modified	11 Feb 2019
  Family ID	F1784	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S2841] 1920 U.S. census, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, population schedule, Chandler township, enumeration district (ED) 104, sheet 7B (penned), p. 43, (stamped, verso), dwelling 134, family 134, John W. Thomas household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 Oct 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1469. [S2847] "Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, Orange County, California," database and digital images, FindAGrave (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 Oct 2012), entry for Robert "Bob" Christopher Thomas, Sr. (2010), memorial no. 54824850, posted by Rober Burnett (rogerburnett@webtv.net), 11 July 2010. [S53] Walker, Lula Fay DeBoard - Informal conversations, (Informal conversation between Lula Fay (DeBoard) Walker (Beaverton, OR) and her daughter Janis Gilmore (Pawleys Island, SC), 1984 through the present (2007).), Personal testimony and knowlege of my parents, Bill and Lu Walker. They indicated that Phronia Mae Thomas (who married Louis DeBOARD) and Wesley THOMAS (who married Bessie KOONCE) were siblings, and the children of Columbus 'Lum' Thomas. (Reliability: 3). [S2840] “Missouri Marriage Records, 1805–2002,” digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 Oct 2012), Howell County, marriage license no. 170 [loose papers, jacket only, no return], for Wesley Thomas-Bessie Koonce (1914); citing Missouri Marriage Records, Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City. .