Barbara Renninger Thomas

THOMAS, Barbara Page Renninger, age 89, passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Bethany Village in Centerville, Ohio. She was born March 31, 1936, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, to the late Nelson H. and Helen Page Renninger. Her husband of 62 years, Franklin B. Thomas III (aka Fritz), also preceded her in death, along with her step-mother Mary Borneman Renninger, step-sister Hazel Lare, and son-in-law Christopher Pray. She is survived by her daughter, Bonnie Lynn Pray, and grandson, Jacob Thomas Pray, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Barbara was active in the Methodist church and United Methodist Women's groups as the family changed geographical locations over the years. In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she was a volunteer friendly visitor for MS patients. She was active in many community organizations as the family moved across Ohio, however, at the top of her list, was volunteer work for Friends of Public Library groups in Wilmington, New Concord, Zanesville, and last but not least, with the Friends of Washington-Centerville Public Library in Centerville. She was also a volunteer worker and maintained the mobile library book carts for many years at Bethany Village. The friends and connections she made in all these organizations gave her great joy. In addition to being an avid reader and book lover, Barbara loved spending time outdoors. She enjoyed gardening, bird watching, and walking along the ocean collecting seashells during vacations to the coast. Barbara and her late-husband, Fritz, also loved to travel across the US and Europe by hotel-hopping, staying with friends, or setting-off in an RV for another adventure. She enjoyed writing letters, sending cards to friends and family, and maintained a pen-pal relationship for 65 years with a friend in England that started through a 1948 Girl Scout pen-pal project. She will be remembered as a dedicated and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and will be greatly missed by family, friends, and the Bethany Village community.

Private services will be held with burial at David’s Cemetery in Kettering, Ohio. Contributions may be made to the Friends of Washington-Centerville Public Library, 111 W. Spring Valley Road, Centerville, OH 45458, in memory of Barbara Thomas.