Thais Thompson

1923 - 2021

Thais Thompson
September 4, 1923 - June 25, 2021
Florence, Oregon - Thais Nina Korntved Thomas passed away June 25, 2021
Thais was born September 4, 1923 to Henry C. and Susan Valiska Korntved in Salinas, CA.
She grew up in the Salinas Valley on a farm outside Greenfield, CA. She had 2 sisters, June Korntved Deome and Lorna Korntved Arnold, and 1 brother Don Korntved. Before passing away Thais was the only surviving sibling. At times her nickname was Ti.
Her first job, while still in high school, was in a local bakery in King City, CA. She married our father, Gene Dorman Thomas, when they were just out of high school on December 6th, 1941. They were planning to travel and work as they went. They woke up the next day to the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. She also had planned to do more schooling, but instead they started their family, having 3 daughters, Sue Etta Thomas Abernathy, Mollie Marie Thomas Smith, and Katherine Nina Thomas Johnson and raising them in Cambria, CA. Gene (being 4F) drove truck and fixed all kinds of equipment during WWII.
Thais worked as a bookkeeper and a domestic engineer and at times as a cook. She worked in the local laundry folding sheets. She loved to garden and spend time camping, hiking, swimming and enjoying the outdoors.
While our father, Gene, worked as a cowboy on a ranch (and later he owned his own garage and was a mechanic and tow truck driver, Gene's Garage in Cambria, CA) Thais was the cook. Before children she worked on the ranch as a cook. She would go into the cave where the stores were kept to get things to fix for the cowboy's meals. Since this was during war time many times there just were not many things to cook. No matter how spare the stores she always found a way to make a great meal. She became well known for her cooking. She always cooked unbelievable meals.
Thais did a lot of volunteer jobs…She was one of the first to teach solar cooking classes. She was a Girl Scout Leader and worked with the grandmothers for Peace. During retirement my parents were organic farmers, raised amazing flowers, and in her 40's Thais went to college and received her BA in Philosophy, graduating with honors.
Her husband, Gene, died of ALS in 1991. Of their 3 daughters, the oldest, Susan Etta Thomas Abernathy, has already passed. Surviving Thais are 2 daughters Mollie Marie Thomas Smith, and Katherine Nina Thomas Johnson, 3 grandchildren, Randall Coots, Sarah Bous, and Daniel Bous. and 5 great-grandchildren, Andrew Bous, Nicolas Bous, Elise Bous, Aiden Leslie, and Sophia Leslie. Thais was 97 years old.