Harold B. Thomas

Harold B. "Hallie" Thomas passed away January 9, 2009. He was born in Pocatello on May 23, 1911, the son of Edward and Annie Willey Thomas.

Hallie attended the old Bonneville School, was in the first class at Washington Elementary, attended the old Franklin Junior High and graduated from Pocatello High School in 1930. He attended the University of Idaho (Southern branch) and graduated in 1934.

Athletics were always a part of his life. He played on the baseball and basketball teams with his brothers in high school and college. He was a member of the American Legion Junior Team from Pocatello which took second in the 1927 national championships in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

He married Margaret (Margie) Burton on May 24, 1939 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were the parents of five children, David (Kathe), Thomas, Salt Lake City, Utah; Judith Gayle (James) Smith, Parma, Idaho; Alan (Bev) Thomas, Salt Lake City, Utah; Mark (Carla) Thomas, Salt Lake city, Utah. A son, Kenneth, died in 1951. Margaret (Margie) Thomas died August 27, 1966. He married Jean Ellis on August 31, 1968.

Harold went to work for the Union Pacific Railroad on Sept. 1, 1935 and retired in 1976. Most of the time, he worked as a switchman, however he was night yardmaster for the years during World War II. After his retirement, he was a volunteer "Granpa" at Greenacres Elementary School for thirteen years.

He served faithfully in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints all of his life. He served as bishop and as a stake patriarch for 35 years. He had great joy in his church services.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret, son Kenneth Charles, granddaughter, Jodi Gale Smith, brother and sisters, Earl, Wilda Anderson, Jed (Venna), Sarah Louisa Dean (Thornton), Clarence (Mid), Ben (Vilate,) Newell ( Alta), Glenn (Tess), Bill (Helen), Wayne (Jean) and Bonnie (Carol) Duffer.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 12 Noon at the East Pocatello Sake Center (42 Princeton Ave.) with Bishop Matt Olsen of the Pocatello 4th Ward officiating. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Manning-Wheatley Funeral Chapel, 510 N. 12th Ave. and on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in the Mountain View Cemetery. In lieu of flowers friends are encourage to contributed to their favorite charity or the the Perpetual Education Fund. The family would like to thank the Highland Hills Assisted Living Center for the tender Loving Care given to Hallie while there.