Dorothy Virginia Thomas

Dorothy Virginia Gowanlock Thomas, 90, passed away quietly at home in Austin, Texas on Thursday, October 23, 2025 after a long illness. Dorothy was born in Teague, Texas to Mary Catherine and Robert James Gowanlock, the youngest of six siblings. She spent her early years in Texas, Arkansas, and New Mexico. She met and married the love of her life, Jerry Thomas, in Silver City, N.M., while attending New Mexico Western College where she earned a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. After marrying and starting their family in Silver City and Los Alamos, N.M., Jerry and Dorothy moved to Austin in 1964. Dorothy’s perennial joke was they had two children in Silver City, two in Los Alamos and two in Austin, so they decided not to move again!

Dorothy was a devoted wife, loving mother of six, and doting grandmother and great grandmother of many. She excelled as a homemaker to create and maintain a loving home for her family. She loved reading mysteries (especially Tony Hillerman), all things Irish, hosting family holidays, country western dancing with Jerry at the Broken Spoke, singing, and traveling. She was a skilled seamstress and sewed holiday and wedding dresses for her children. She was proudly left-handed! She helped support her family by working seasonally some years at the IRS in Austin.

Dorothy was a devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church. She volunteered for more than 30 years at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store on South Congress Ave., and with her husband at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at St. Ignatius. Later, she volunteered at Kyle Elementary to help kindergarteners learn to read.

Dorothy was a constant supportive presence in her children’s lives and was a model for how to be a good person in this world. She always remembered and stood up for those less fortunate, values that she passed on to her children. We will miss her dearly!

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, four siblings and her husband, Jerry Leon Thomas. Survivors include her sister, Lou Ann Green of Omaha, Neb., five daughters and one son -- Mary and husband Glenn Redus of Roanoke, Va., Cinde Thomas-Jimenez and husband Fred Jimenez of Silver City, N.M., Gregory Thomas and wife Valerie Baldwin-Thomas of Eugene, Ore., Sarah and husband Patrick Gaylord of New Braunfels, Texas, Laura Thomas and husband John Warren of Austin, Texas, and Jennifer Thomas and husband Roberto Cardenas, also of Austin, Texas. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation to be held 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 2620 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, 126 West Oltorf St, Austin, Texas. The family wishes to thank the staff at Hospice Austin, Assisting Hands of West Austin, and especially long term caregivers Penina and Sylvia. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Central Texas or St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church Food Pantry. The family encourages those wishing to send flowers to support a local florist and have all floral arrangements delivered to Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home.