Charleen Thomas 1939-2023
Charleen Kay Thomas, 83, Inman, went to her eternal home on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023.
She was born July 13, 1939, in Lebanon to Clyde and Daisy (Marihughes) Herndon. She graduated from Lebanon High School in 1957. Upon graduation, she moved to Topeka, where she started her career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company.
On Aug. 23, 1959, she married her high school sweetheart, Derald Dean Thomas, and they shared 45 years of marriage before his passing in 2004. She started her adventure of being a Navy wife for 18 years. While stationed in California, they were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Gayleen (1962) and Nadean (1964).
In 1971, they all moved back to the Midwest to Hutchinson. There she returned to Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, later becoming AT&T, where she retired from in 1990. After retiring, she and Derald moved to Holton, where she supervised the Holton Senior Center and had a self-owned house cleaning business. It was in 2002 when they moved to Inman to be close to both of their daughters and grandchildren.
While in Inman, she made great friendships, spent time with family and was the supervisor of the Inman Senior Center for almost 13 years. She enjoyed the multiple bus trips she helped organize to locations such as New York, Savannah, Ga., Washington, D.C. and Tennessee. She also hosted foreign exchange students who attended Inman High School on multiple occasions.
Charleen was a loving and caring individual. She was a spiritual woman who always looked out for her family and friends. She enjoyed spending time with her daughters and going to her grandchildren’s multiple activities and cheering them on. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends and all whom knew her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Derald; her parents, Clyde and Daisy (Marihughes) Herndon; three sisters-in-law; and two brothers-in-law.
Charleen is survived by her companion, Bill Arneson, Sabetha; daughters Gayleen (Kelly) Thiessen, Inman, and Nadean (Richard) Glenn, Goddard; grandchildren Jarrod (Ashley) Blackburn, Marshfield, Wisc., Marcha Glenn, Goddard, and Amanda Glenn, Goddard; grandchildren in love Sarah (Tim) Gaynor, Sedgwick, Anna Ohle, Inman, and Jake Thiessen, Inman; great-grandson, Tyson Dean Blackburn and great-grandchildren in love Hailey Gaynor, Kayden Ohle, T.J. Gaynor, Ella Thiessen, Max Thiessen, Piper Thiessen and Briggs Thiessen; brother Neal (Karen) Herndon, Lebanon; brother-in-law Jim Pierce, Hastings, Neb.; and sister-in-law Patty Thomas, Osborne; as well as several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Cremation has already been performed and her celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at Zoar Mennonite Brethren Church, Inman. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 with family in attendance at Inman Funeral Home, Inman. She will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband, Derald Thomas, at a later date in Odessa Cemetery, Lebanon.
The family asks that memorials be made to Zoar Mennonite Brethren Church or Inman Senior Center, in care of Inman Funeral Home. To leave a condolence for the family, visit www.inmanfh.com
(PAID OBITUARY)
