Mary Kathryn Thomas

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 9, at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Mitchell with Father Vince Parsons serving as celebrant. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park near Scottsbluff. Visitation will be on Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel with a Rosary recited at 7 p.m. by Father Mike Wetovick.

Memorials may be made to St. Theresa Catholic Church or to the donor’s choice.

Tributes of sympathy may be left at dugankramer.com.

Mary Kathryn was born on January 25, 1921 in Clyde, Missouri to William and Katherine (Farnan) Merrigan. She grew up and received her education at Sunflower school in Mitchell and later received her teaching degree. She taught school in the Mitchell area and later worked as a secretary for the Prisoners of War camp in Scottsbluff.

Mary was united in marriage to W.J. “Bill” Thomas on April 14, 1945 in Mitchell and to this union nine children were born. They lived in Greenville, South Carolina for about a year before returning to Mitchell. They owned and operated Thomas Grocery at Mitchell from 1949 to 1982.

She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Mary enjoyed singing in the church choir and was very active in the church. She was a great cook and known for her “famous spaghetti”. She also loved to read, sew, garden, avid Bridge player and enjoyed being a foster grandma at the Mitchell Elementary School.

Mary was a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church and the V.F.W. Women’s Auxiliary.

She is survived by her children, Marilyn (Vance) Valerio of Omaha, Ann Thomas of Lander, WY, Kathy Pramstaller of Omaha, Jodene Burkhart of Scottsbluff, Bill (Mary) Thomas of York, Kevin (Jennifer) Thomas of Potter, Sandra (Ray) Hanson of Kearney, Susan (Mike) Eggleston of Marshalltown, Iowa, Kim (Dan) Moore of Papillion; 22 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and brother, Russell (Jackie) Merrigan of Paul, Idaho

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill in 2008; her parents; sons-in-law, Bert Rogers, Tim Burkhart and Rudy Pramstaller; and brothers, Bert, Dick, Kenny, Gene Merrigan.