Cleda Mae Thomas, 89, of Mt. Pleasant, died Monday, August 19, 2024 at her residence.
Cleda was born on a brisk, cold March 10, 1935 to Karl Wayne and Mary (Ward) Willits. She was known as a “Daddy’s Girl”, wanting to follow her father wherever he went. She attended grade school at the Vernon Prairie Country School and furthered her schooling at Bonaparte High School, graduating in the Class of 1953. In high school, she played several sports and also did chores with her dad on the farm as her brother went into the Armed Forces Service.
Cleda took a refresher course in office secretarial work in Quincy, IL in the fall of 1953. In January of 1954, she went to work for the John Morrell Company in Ottumwa. On July 10, 1954, Cleda was united in marriage to Gary Dean Thomas at the Bonaparte Methodist Church in Boneparte.
Cleda and Gary made their home in Mt. Pleasant, where Cleda began a 43-year career at the former Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Department as an Administrative Assistant in the Medical Records Dept. When her parents became ill, they moved to Bonaparte to care for them and moved back to Mt. Pleasant in 2009. After her service to MHI, she worked part-time in similar operations for the Henry County Public Health Dept.
Cleda enjoyed going to auctions and garage sales. She like to sit and embroider. Most especially, she loved to spend time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Those thankful for sharing in Cleda’s life include her 3 children – Merle Thomas of Mt. Pleasant, Mike Thomas and his wife Cindy of Ankeny, IA and Melina Jung of Hilo, Hawaii; 6 grandchildren – Mariah (Jake) Gray, Adam (Erin) Thomas, Kelle (Ray) Wedeking, Blake Vierra, Blaine Vierra and Lihau Jung, and 9 great grandchildren – Otto, Ezra, Louie, Mollie, Oliver, Skye, Daylan, Esmei and Arden.
Cleda is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gary (who died Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at their residence in Mt. Pleasant), her brother Karl Wayne Willits and her sister Mary Jeanne Harwood.
A funeral service for Cleda will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, August 27 at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. Pastor Larry Shipley and Dennis Tucker will officiate. Burial will be in the Thompson Cemetery, rural Bonaparte. Friends may call from 12 Noon to 8 PM on Monday, August 26 at the funeral home. The family will be present to receive friends from 5-7 PM on Monday.
Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation (a condition Cleda suffered with much of her life) or Every Step Hospice.
Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.
