She was born December 7, 1936, in Omar, West Virginia, one of seven children of the late Ransom and Genevee (Kelly) Brewer. As a young teen, she enjoyed spreading the gospel with her sisters, singing in their gospel group, “The Brewer Sisters”. On December 4, 1954, she married the love of her life, the late Raymond Thomas. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aka “granny” to many. Her life exemplified that of a Proverbs 31 woman: “Her children arise and called her blessed”, there had never been nor will ever be a woman as precious and special as our mom and granny. A survivor of breast cancer, she fought a hard battle with dementia over the last 15 years. Her epithet will read “I have fought a good fight, and I have kept the faith.”
A lifelong member of the Church of God, the last 3 years she attended The Potter’s House in Mansfield. Delora was stripped of her memory and lost her ability to speak, we know that she would have still declared that God was good to her through it all. We honor her legacy as a woman of faith, family, virtue, and love. She worked at Roberts Cafeteria, various factories and retired from Gordon’s Food Service.
Delora is survived by her daughters, Talesa Diane Sunderland of Mansfield, and Neina Marcell (Daniel) Wolf of Mansfield; six grandchildren, Brandon (Krista) Wolf of Shelby, Verlyna (Marque) Johnston of Ontario, Nathan (Penny) Sunderland of Ontario, Justin (Nellie) Wolf of Crestline, Megan (Mike) Schoonover of Ontario, and Amy (Travis) Hicks of Mansfield; twenty great-grandchildren; eighteen great-great grandchildren with one due in August 2025; one sister, Kathy (James) Stehle of Ontario; and two sisters-in-law, Linda Brewer of Mesa, AZ, and Betty Brewer of Mansfield.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Ransom and Genevee Brewer; husband, Raymond Thomas; special son-in-law, Verlin M. Sunderland Jr.; and five siblings, Ann (Bobby) Browning, Marjorie (Willie) Bailey, Ransom (Carol) Brewer, Evan Brewer and Earl Brewer.
I Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025, at Wappner Funeral Directors-Ontario, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Road. The funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Steve Burkhalter officiating. She will be laid to rest in Mansfield Memorial Park.
The family wants to express a special thank to the nurses and staff at SouthernCare Hospice.
