Salem – Richard Russell Thomas of Salem, age 86, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, died at home on June 19, 2009 with his family by his side.
Richard was born on Sept. 29, 1922 in Lorain, Ohio, and spent much of his childhood there. His family moved to Cleveland during his high school years, where he met the love of his life, Jeanne Rose Dales. After high school, Richard entered the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in Pocatello, Idaho. In 1942 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and became a radio operator, flying 133 missions over “The Hump” between India and China during WWII. He earned the rank of sergeant and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and an air medal.
It was on a furlough in late 1944 that Richard proposed to Jeanne. They were married in Cleveland, Ohio on June 30, 1945 and eventually had three children, Jeanne, Sandra, and William. Richard died 11 days shy of the couple’s 64th wedding anniversary.
Richard graduated magna cum laude in psychology from Case Western Reserve University on June 15, 1949, and later he attended graduate school at Duke University in North Carolina. He managed a gas station/restaurant business in Antwerp, Ohio before being hired by IBM in Cleveland in 1955. He was transferred to the IBM lab in Los Gatos, California in 1966, and retired at age 55, after working for the company for 22 years. After retirement, Richard and Jeanne moved to Oregon, living in Salem, then Clatskanie, and back to Salem again in 2002.
All his life, Richard loved to write poetry, and he leaves a collection of his works in his autobiography. He was also a fine singer and was often compared to his idol, Bing Crosby.
Family was always of utmost importance to Richard. He is loved deeply and survived by his wife Jeanne, daughters Jeanne Eikrem and Sandra Frazier and son William Thomas, all of Salem, grandsons Brian and Darren Johnson, Seth and Nathan Eikrem, granddaughter Julia Parlow, great-grandchildren Collyn, Conner, Cuylie and Cannen Johnson, sister Hazel Meglich and brother Jerry Scouten of Antwerp, Ohio and his nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to express their beep gratitude to caregiver Herb Windham for his excellent care and compassion during the last year of Richard’s life.
Arrangements are being made by Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service. A private service will be held at a later time. Memorial contributions may be made to Medical Teams International.