Dorothy E. Thomas

Dorothy E. Thomas, 76, died at 1:41 p.m. May 3, 2011, at Carolina Medical Center, Charlotte, N.C. She was born Jan. 8, 1935, in Hillsdale, Mich., to John R. and Sarah B. Vincent McClain, who preceded her in death. On June 23, 1956, she married James D. Thomas, who died Aug. 6, 2010. Mrs. Thomas was a homemaker and had been a sales associate at Sears. She had attended Lima-West Church of Christ. When she was in high school she had been and accomplished basketball player, according to her. She liked working word search books and coloring with her daughters and grandchildren. She enjoyed playing the piano, dancing and taking pictures with her antique camera. She liked taking pictures of anything and everything, including her granddaughter's boyfriends. She will always be remembered as a cool grandma, who loved being involved with her grandchildren in all facets of their lives as they grew up. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Survivors include four daughters, Lori (Steve) Keller, of Naperville, Ill., Shelly Shaffer, Jackie Thomas and Jamie (Dan) Salsbury, all of Charlotte, N.C.; eight grandchildren, Janet (Bryan) Hobson, Jodi (J.W.) Anderson, Josh (Lacey) Keller, Matt Keller, Mike Keller, Jeffrey Shaffer, Steve (Alice) Shaffer and Riley Salsbury; six great-grandchildren; two sisters, Barbara Griffin, of Marion, Ind., and Claribel (Bud) Cook, of Jerome, Mich.; and four brothers, Tom (AnnRita) McClain, of Fort Wayne, Ind., John (Janice) McClain and Ron (Vicki) McClain, both of Jerome, Mich., and Terry McClain, of Georgia. She was preceded in death by at two sisters, Mary Jane Hansen and Suecarrie Melvin. Services will begin at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Chiles-Laman Funeral Homes, Eastside Chapel. Pastor Steve Keller will officiate. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude Research Hospital or the American Kidney Foundation. Condolences may be expressed at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.