Samuel Earl Thomas

Samuel E. Thomas Funeral Friday

Funeral service was held Friday afternoon at Peet Chapel for Samuel E. Thomas, pioneer resident of Niobrara County and Nebraska who died July 15 in Crawford, Neb. The Rev. Frank Bozart, a long-time friend of Mr. Thomas and co-worker on Lusk police force officiated.

Organist was Mrs. Jane Bardo who played while Tim Johnson sang "My Jesus as Thou Wilt" and "The Lord Is My Shepherd."

Pallbearers were Hank Montgomery, Loren Walker, Terry Larson, Noal Larson, Doyle Davies and Everett Thomas. Burial was in the Lusk Cemetery.

Samuel E. Thomas was born in Iroquois County, Ill., May 27, 1884, the youngest of five children of Samuel M. and Adeline Burroughs Thomas. The family lived in Illinois and Iowa until 1888 when they moved further west and settled about 20 miles northwest of Harrison where he spent his boyhood years. As a young man he worked on ranches in northeastern Wyoming.

He and Clara Larson were married June 11, 1911, and for several years following their marriage they lived on a homestead about 20 miles northeast of Lusk. They resided in that area until 1937 when he and his family moved to the Sam Thomas Sr. ranch in western Nebraska where he helped his aged father and mother and managed the ranch for them. In 1945 he and Mrs. Thomas moved to Lusk. For several years he served as deputy sheriff and was on the Lusk police force until he retired in 1959. He lived in Lusk until 1973 when failing health made it necessary for him to enter a nursing home. He was a member of the Lusk Congregational Church.

Mr. Thomas is survived by his widow, Clara of Lusk; two sons Samuel M. Lusk, and Lawrence M., Lafayette, Colo., and one daughter Mrs. Marvin J. (Marguerite) Davies, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Theresa Fransman, and his brothers, Charles, Ira and Henry.

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