Robert Thomas

Robert Morris Thomas, 89, of Overland Park, passed away Saturday, February 23, 2008, at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. Bob was born June 24, 1918, in Wootton, Colo., to Earnest Benjamin Thomas and Edna Morris. He was raised on the Thomas family farm in Blue Springs, Mo., and in Merriam, Kan. He attended Shawnee Mission Rural High School, now Shawnee Mission North. Before WWII, he worked as a carpet machine operator at a company in Kansas City. Bob served his country in WWII with the 10th Combat Engineers, 3rd Infantry Division. He saw action in North Africa and Italy, surviving numerous beach landings. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals as a result of combat at the Anzio beachhead in Italy. He shared his life for almost 63 years with his wife, Jennie Thomas, whom he married in 1945 in Castle Rock, Colorado after returning from the war. For 35 years, Bob worked at the post office, first as a clerk in Kansas City, Kan., and finally retiring from Shawnee Mission as Superintendent of the postal truck fleet in 1977. Survivors include his wife, Jennie Thomas; his children, Vicki Stein and husband Joel of Melbourne Beach, Fla., Jewell Grant and husband Bill of Overland Park, Mark Thomas and wife Lesley of Littleton, Colo.; his grandchildren, Rick McCormack, Rhonda Owens, James Stein, Dena Joyner, Julia Wagner, Ian Thomas and Paige Thomas; seven great- grandchildren, and his aunt, Alice Pack. Services will be held at D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Funeral Chapel and Cemetery, 11200 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, Kan., with visitation on Thursday, Feb. 28, from 3 to 5 p.m. and services on Friday, Feb. 29, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Disabled American Veterans or American Lung Association.

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