Obit: Thomas, John Edward (1942 - 2009)
Contact: Ken Wood.

----Surnames: Thomas, Swing, Depta, Wolfe, Meddaugh, Moody, Merk, Leslie, Heller, Wilke, Brandt

----Source: Marshfield News Herald, Marshfield, Wood Co., WI, Sun. 10 May 2009

Thomas, John Edward (3 Feb. 1942 - 8 May 2009)

John Thomas, 67, 250 Wood Ave., Nekoosa, died Fri., May 8, 2009, at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wed. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nekoosa. The Rev. John Swing will officiate. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Nekoosa. Friends may call at Feldner/Ritchay Funeral Home in Nekoosa Tues. from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Wed. at the church from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. A parish prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Tues. at the funeral home.

A complete obituary will appear in Mon.'s Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune.

----Source: Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wood County, Wis.) Mon., 11 May 2009

John Edward Thomas, 67, 250 Wood Ave., Nekoosa, passed away Fri., May 8, 2009, at his home, surrounded by his family.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wed. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nekoosa. The Rev. John Swing will officiate. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Feldner/Ritchay Funeral Home in Nekoosa on Tues. from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Wed. at church from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. A parish prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Tues. at the funeral home.

John was born Feb. 3, 1942, in Wisconsin Rapids to Arthur and Ann (Depta) Thomas. He married Mary Wolfe on Aug. 23, 1969, at Sacred Heart Church in Nekoosa.

John lived in three different houses during his lifetime, all of them on Wood Avenue in Nekoosa. He worked at Nekoosa Papers for 44 years and was known for riding his bike to and from work regardless of the weather. John entered the U.S. Air Force on Jan. 2, 1964. During his time of service, John was part of the intelligence operations as a Morse code interceptor in Vietnam. He received numerous service awards and was honorably discharged March 9, 1967.

John was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Parish. He graduated from Sacred Heart Grade School in 1956 and Assumption High School in 1960. He was very proud of his Catholic upbringing and loved his Catholic faith. John was best known for refinishing furniture and making up games to entertain his children and grandchildren. He was a perfectionist in home maintenance, especially when it came to painting. He was an avid reader, loved listening to public radio and enjoyed hunting and golfing. He was also known for his footwork while ice skating.

John is survived by his wife, Mary (Wolfe) of Nekoosa; daughter Kelly (Ron) Meddaugh, and their children Brie, Tyler and Mia, Nekoosa; daughter, Molly Thomas of Wisconsin Rapids; son, John (Teri) Thomas, and their daughter, Emma of Wisconsin Rapids; daughter Erin (Dusty) Moody of Nekoosa; and son, Joshua Thomas of Wausau. He is further survived by his sister, Diane (Dick) Merk of Wisconsin Rapids; brother, Jerry (Peggy) Thomas of Nekoosa; brothers-in-law Thomas Leslie of Wisconsin Rapids, and Wally (Elaine) Wolfe of Nekoosa; along with many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his lifelong friends Kenny Heller, David Wilke, and Don Brandt.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Mary Leslie, one brother-in-law, Joseph Wolfe, mother-in-law, Irene Wolfe, and father-in-law, Walter Wolfe.