Jessie Thomas Jr.'s Obituary
Jessie Thomas Jr. was born on July 17, 1921, to the union of Jessie and Elizabeth Matthews in Mangham, Richland Parish, Louisiana. Growing up he was raised in Louisiana with his mother Elizabeth, her husband Howard Thomas, brothers and sisters until becoming a young man. He enjoyed spending time with his grandmother Miley and grandfather Phayto “Phate” McFarland.
Jessie accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized in Louisiana. He left Louisiana in July, 1943 and moved to Washington state to work in Hanford, WA on behalf of the war. In Hanford, he worked in transportation and began developing his skills in construction. It was in Hanford, WA that Jessie also met and married Mary Lee Campbell, a long union lasting until Mary passed away in December, 2004.
Jessie and Mary moved to Tacoma, WA in June, 1945, where he worked as a merchant marine until 1947. Jessie returned to Richland, WA from 1947 to 1949, working for Atkinson & Jones as a cement finisher, which began his nearly 70-year membership with Operative Plasters’ and Cement Masons, AFL-CIO, Local 528. Thereafter he and Mary made Tacoma, WA their home. They encouraged brothers and sisters to move to Washington to join them, and began their family by first helping to raise Jessie’s three youngest siblings; Emma, Thelma, and Willie, and later adopting Linda Joyce and Donna Marie.
Jessie joined Bethlehem Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA in 1948, where he served as a dedicated member of the Usher Board. Jessie enjoyed a lifelong joy of fishing and camping and was one of the founding members of the Roadrunners Outdoor Club. When the weather was good you would most likely find Jessie and Mary camping at Moses Lake, with him filling coolers with his favorite fish. There was never a family get together that didn’t include a platter of hot fried fish.
Jessie Thomas Jr. departed this life on Saturday, November 25, 2017. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lee Thomas and his brothers Frank, Dank, Otha, John Douglas, Jessie James, and sisters Mary, Thelma, Odessa, Eunice, Rebecca, Bertha Rose, Mylia, and Clara.
He leaves to cherish his memory: his daughters, Linda Joyce Shandle and Donna Marie Bruin, both of Tacoma, WA; Mamie Freeman, of Houston, TX.; sister, Robert Thomas, of Monroe, LA; brother, Howard Thomas (Carrie), of San Bernardino, CA; brother, Emma Cotton, of Seattle, WA; sister, Willie Thomas, Los Angeles, CA; brother, Jeanne Jones, of Las Vegas, NV; sister, and Nathaniel Matthews, of Las Vegas, NV; brother.
Grandchildren, Tavaris, Zontia, Jerrell, Britney, Evan, Savannah, and Andrea Thomas all of Tacoma, WA; and a multitude of great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, whom he all loved and cherished.
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