1935-2015
Helen Marie Thomas passed away August 3rd 2015 of causes incident to age. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to much loved parents Helen Horner Thomas and Arthur Blake Thomas. She had a delightful childhood, attending the Stewart Training School on the campus of the University of Utah. This early experience inspired her love of and respect for her own teachers and eventually her profession as a high school English educator. While she enjoyed her time at East High School, she taught at its rival West for a few years after receiving her degree from the University of Utah. At the U of U she was a member of Pi Beta Phi. She soon set off on her life’s grand adventure to San Francisco, where she taught at El Camino High School in South City for 30 years. Generations of students adored her sense of humor, her responsive teaching methods, and her deep consideration for all underdogs. She loved San Francisco dearly, its fog and hills and diverse people. She returned to Salt Lake in 1990 to care for her aging parents, which she did with unwavering devotion, seeing that the end of their lives was filled with laughter, activity, and Jazz games. Back in Utah she happily rejoined a community she had known since childhood, restarting friendships with kindergarten peers, especially the Lunch Bunch. She followed the trail blazed by her mother in community service, including the Junior Leagues of SLC and San Francisco and the Friends of the Marriott Library. She was also a member of the Town Club and St. Ambrose parish. Her quick and sometimes irreverent sense of humor set her apart and was a great joy to all those who met her and especially her family. She is survived by her sister Harriet Lawrence, her niece Claire Thomas Lawrence and Claire’s husband Michael Hardin. She will be especially missed by her absolutely perfect grand-niece Blake Elena Hardin and grand-nephew Julian Thomas Hardin, who considered her their grandparent. The family would like to thank Valeo Hospice for their kindness and comfort and Ximena Romero of Millcreek Home Nursing. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Ambrose Church, 1975 South 2300 East at 11:00AM, Friday, August 14, 2015. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to the University of Utah for scholarships for the education of secondary school teachers, 1721 Campus Center Drive, 84112. Also, in remembrance of Helen please thank a teacher and tell them how important their work has been in your life. Services provided through Evans & Early Mortuary.
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