Elaine S. Thomas

Elaine was born in Chicago, Illinois to Fred and Blanche Schroeder on December 29, 1925. She passed away at the age of 93 in the early hours of November 12, 2019. She was the eldest of 5 siblings, Daryle, Fred, Wayne and Gayle. Elaine attended a Mennonite Church growing up. Being the oldest, she would often act as mother to her siblings when her mother was working. After WWII, she met Louis (Lou) Franklin Thomas (served as a US Marine) and they married in 1946. Elaine and Lou had three children: John, Fred and Chris.

The family moved to Chula Vista, CA in April 1959. Elaine and Lou joined Bay View Baptist Church that year and were faithful members. Elaine would sing in the choir, help with organizing events, such as Vacation Bible School, member of Women’s Missionary Society, and teaching Sunday School. She went to work in 1964 and worked at several jobs until in 1967 she was hired by the County of San Diego Municipal Court as a Data Entry Operator. Her job was to take the traffic tickets written by police and sheriffs and enter the information on key punch cards that would be fed into a main frame computer. She retired in 1990 from the County after 23 years of service.

Elaine enjoyed her role as Grandmother (Holly, Fred, Nathan and Alyssa) and Great Grandmother (Brandy, Lexi, Fred, and Josiah) and would enjoy babysitting them when they were young. As they grew up, she would come to plays and sporting events to support them. She also continued her roles at Bay View Baptist Church becoming a key member of the Prayer Ministry. She was a volunteer at the Fredericka Manor Gift Shop and with Meals on Wheels until she couldn’t walk up steps easily.

Lou and Elaine enjoyed 38 years together before Lou passed away in 1984 from heart failure. Elaine continued to work until 1990. After retirement from the County, she took several trips and cruises. Some of the places she visited included Alaska, Hawaii, New York, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, and the Panama Canal.

After retirement, she also became a mini-season ticket holder with the Padres. Elaine and close friend Joyce Thornton would drive to games at then Qualcomm Stadium. When the Padres moved to Petco Park, they began to take the trolley to the games. Her and Joyce and sometimes other friends would take a trip in the Spring to Arizona to watch a few Pre-season Padre games (and have fun on the town).

Elaine is survived by her sister, Gayle Larson, brother-in-law Dan Larson, sister-in-law Sally Schroeder and three sons, John Thomas, Fred Thomas, and Chris Thomas and their families and her nephews and nieces.