Jerome Oliver "Jerry" THOMAS

THOMAS, Jerome Oliver "Jerry" Jerry was born July 17, 1930 in Muscatine, Iowa. His parents were Oliver and Gertrude Windle Thomas. He lived in a very small town in northwestern Illinois, Illinois City, all of his life through high school. He knew as a child of eight what he wanted to do with his life. So, when he graduated from high school he went to flight school in Galesburg, Illinois. He worked as a pilot for a photographer of farms as his first flying job in Kirksville, MO. Then he flew out of Muscatine, Iowa and Moline, Illinois while at the same time serving as flight instructor. He began working for United Airlines in 1957 as a pilot, based out of Chicago. He flew for United for 33 years, being based in Los Angeles and then San Francisco for the last 15 years with them. He flew to and from Asia for the last 10 years of his career as a Captain. He retired in 1990. He married his first wife in 1948. They had three children - Jay, Timothy, and Sue Lynn. Tim died in 1996. Jay retired as Captain for Northwest Airlines and Sue flies Captain for United Airlines. He married Loretta Wade in 1998 in Illinois. They moved to Sonoma in 2003 upon hearing they would soon have their first grandchild. They now have two granddaughters, Lorna and Leah Carter, who also live in Sonoma with their parents, Dr. Eliot and Elizabeth Carter. He enjoyed reading, watching the History Channel, the weekend golf tournaments and the SF Giants. He also enjoyed trying to hit a golf ball now and then. He and Loretta enjoyed travel together. He enjoyed being in different places around the world, but didn't always enjoy getting there. He tended to get cranky in airports as I imagine many retired pilots would. He is survived by his wife, Loretta, children Jay and Sue Lynn as well as step-daughter and husband, Dr. Eliot and Elizabeth Carter and granddaughters, Lorna and Leah. He loved his granddaughters more than even he imagined. He will be missed greatly by them. Friends are invited to a memorial service on Saturday, December 19th, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church. In Lieu of flowers donations may be made to the church or Hospice by the Bay in Jerry's honor.