Rex Eugene Thomas

1925 - 2009

Rex Thomas passed away on Saturday, November 21, 2009, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, while visiting his son and daughter-inlaw. Born to old-fashioned "dirt farmers" of little means in 1925 near Enid, Oklahoma, Rex lived in several places during the Depression, eventually going to live with an older brother in Wichita to attend high school. He turned 18 near the end of World War II and served in the Navy, stationed at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station as an electrician mate on a rescue boat. After the war, Rex used the GI Bill to attend, and graduate from, the University of Kansas with a master's degree in chemical engineering. In 1947, he married his wife Virginia, whom he had known in high school and was his "pen pal" during the war. They moved to California, and then to Switzerland, where they lived with their family for 10 years. He worked for Dow Chemical for 33 years, 10 of those at their European headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, and the last nine years at their corporate headquarters in Midland, Michigan. Rex retired and moved to Willits in 1986. He was active in the Willits Rotary Club, twice serving as president. He became a major shareholder in the Willits Fitness World and served as chairman of the board and general manager. Rex is survived by his wife of 63 years, Virginia; daughters Cathy Branyan and husband Tyson of Cushing, Oklahoma, and Joan Thomas and husband John Rule of Willits; sons Mark Thomas and wife Pamela Najera of Belmont, and Reid Thomas and wife Shaunna of Altadena; and grandchildren Tyler and Rachel Branyan, David and Josie Coons, and Maggie Coons-Abbott. His friends are invited to a memorial service at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, December 18, at the William F. Harrah Senior Center. In-lieu of fl owers, the family requests donations in Rex's name be made to the Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital Building Fund.