Ruth Thomas

Ruth Marie Dahlen Thomas, 86, passed away Friday, Nov 22, 2013 at Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah resulting from complications of a fall nearly three weeks earlier. Ruth was born May 15, 1927 in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin to Banford Emmett Dahlen and Ruth Alice Hendrickson Dahlen. She enjoyed many friends and cousins while growing up in rural Wisconsin, graduating from Mt. Horeb High School in 1945.
To alleviate her chronic asthma, she immediately sought out colleges in the high-altitude mountains of the west and enrolled at Brigham Young University. She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 21. While playing flute in the BYU band, she met a tuba player, Bill (William Joseph) Thomas from Baker Oregon. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education & English, with a minor in Music. Ruth began teaching school in Monroe, Utah in 1949. In July 1950 she married Bill in the Logan Utah Temple after he graduated from BYU.
Ruth and Bill first lived in his home town of Baker, Oregon for a few months before they both took teaching jobs in Middleton, Idaho. Soon after, they moved to Salt Lake City (and later to Navajo Street in Glendale Park) where their first 3 children were born. Bill (Willie) was working for Safeway, then later for Grand Central. Moving to Murray in1957, they bought their second house where 3 more children were born.
While raising six children in Murray Utah, Ruth taught piano lessons to hundreds of students. She also worked as a substitute teacher in Murray School District for many years, and at Woman’s World in Fashion Place Mall. By then Bill was working for Western Toy & Hobby (Twirl Town Toys) starting in 1963.
Ruth always had a sense of humor, quick wit, and a sharp mind. When her eyesight was still sharp enough, she enjoyed embroidery and made many projects for her children and grandchildren. Besides her family and the gospel, her greatest joy was reading – she could always be found enjoying good books. Or working on jigsaw puzzles or playing solitaire.
Ruth was very active in the LDS Church, serving many years as the ward organist and as a Relief Society teacher. Her conversion to the church was with pure conviction. She and Bill sent four of their children to far-flung LDS missions outside the US. Ruth and Bill served together in the Jordan River Temple for several years after Bill’s retirement, and she for ten years after his death. She loved both the gospel and her family beyond measure, which she expressed to her last day.
Bill preceded her in death by nearly 18 years and we rejoice in her reunion with him. She is survived by her brother Richard (Betty) Dahlen and her six children: Jon (Cheryl), Richard, Marianne (John) Shoell, Norman (Karen), Sara (Russell) Johnson, and Patty (Jack) Steadman, 22 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, all of whom she is very proud and loves very much.
A viewing will be held Friday Nov 29, 2013 from 6-8pm at Memorial Estates, 6500 S Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah, and on Saturday 9:45am-10:45am at the Jefferson LDS Ward, 67 W Clay Park Drive, Murray, Utah. Funeral services begin 11:00am after the viewing. Interment, Redwood Memorial Estates, 6500 S Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah. Her life story is being compiled at:
http://home.comcast.net/~jwt19/RuthHist/MomHist-TOC.htm