Kitty Rae Irvin Thomas was born June 5th, 1931, in Avis, Pennsylvania, in the Susquehanna River Valley Farmland. She graduated from Milligan College in Tennessee qualified to teach. She taught in Bristol and Jefferson County, Kentucky, in public schools. In 1954, she married William K. Thomas, minister of the Disciples of Christ, and served with him in the church in Milltown, Indiana, and the First Christian Church in Beech Grove. There she found many opportunities to teach in the church, as well as serving as an academic tutor, a substitute teacher and a leader of countless Bible study groups and retreat gatherings. She was instrumental in the founding of the Beech Grove unit of the American Cancer Society and served as a member of the Beech Grove Public Schools Board and as a member of the Public Library Board. Kitty liked to read widely, was a faithful writer of letters and cards and relished experimenting with new recipes. Upon retirement, she enjoyed travelling and spending winters in Alamo, Texas.
Kitty and Bill had four sons. She is survived by her husband, Rev. William K. “Bill” Thomas and her sons, Scott D. Thomas, Joel N. Thomas-Adams, and Dwight D. Thomas, along with her daughters-in-law, Kathy Miles, Jennifer Thomas-Adams and Katherine Deuel; her sister, Audra Aubin and her niece Valeri Baldwin. Bill and Kitty were blessed with eight grandchildren: Whitney and Nathanael Miles; Hania, Cambrian, Emilela and Aliana Thomas-Adams; and Jasper and Kintla Deuel Thomas. Kitty was preceded in death by her parents, Milford S. and Emma (Miller) Irvin, son, Mark K. Thomas, and niece, Leslie Calvert.
A memorial visitation for Kitty will be held Wednesday, February 5th, 2020, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Little and Sons Funeral Home, 1301 Main St., Beech Grove, Indiana 46107. Her Funeral Service will follow at 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home. In honor of her love of family gatherings, a family-style pitch-in dinner will follow the service at First Christian Church, 75 N. Tenth Avenue, Beech Grove. Please bring your family’s favorite dish.
She will be laid to rest at a later date in the Milligan College Columbarium, Johnson City, Tennessee.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Kitty’s memory may be made to First Christian Church in Beech Grove.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Thomas family at www.littleandsonsbeechgrove.com
