Lawrence Thomas

THOMAS, Lawrence R. Sr., age 89, passed away Wednesday, July 8, 2009 . He was born in Hamilton, Ohio in 1920, raised in East Hamilton by his parents, Pedro and Mary (Ferry) Thomas. One of eight children, and raised with two cousins,, Lonk or Larry, as he was sometimes called, graduated in 1938 from Hamilton High. On August 11, 1941 he married Julia Johnson. He then served his country in the South Pacific Theater in WW II. Seeing action in the Army Corp of Engineers, he spent his war years Island hopping throughout the South Pacific and eventually to Japan. An avid bowler and fast pitch softball player, he is a member of the Butler County Fast Pitch Hall of Fame. He worked at Hamilton Tool, Clearing Machine Tool and retired from Beckett Paper Co.. He and Julia were members of St. Veronica’s Church ( now combined into St. Julie’s). They were were married for 63 years until Julia’s death in 2005. Two children were born of this marriage, Lawrence (Robin) Thomas Jr., with whom he lived the last four years of his life, and Penny (David) Wilcoxon. Lonk also is survived by six grandchildren; Rusty Thomas Esq. (Christa), Shannon (John) Zimmerman, Jason (Kim) Wilcoxon, Jennifer (Danny) McGowan, Melanie Wilcoxon, and Michael Wilcoxon; great grandchildren, Julia Anne Thomas, Julia Ann McGowan, Leo Alexander Wilcoxon, Allison Lee Zimmerman, Matthew Clyde McGowan, Conor Logan Thomas and baby boy Wilcoxon due in October. He is also survived by one brother, Richard Thomas; numerous nieces and nephews including Sandy (Rick) Bucheit, Michael Baldwin and Shawn Baldwin and special son, John (Nancy) Hale. Besides his wife, Julia, he was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and two sisters. The family wishes to thank the staff at Westover, especially the staff at Murphy Wing. Visitation will be Friday at St. Julie Billiart Church from 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM. Mass of Christian Burial to follow. Interment in St. Mary Cemetery. www.colliganfuneralhome.com