Leona Thomas

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Leona Dora Thomas, 93, of Des Moines and formerly of Jackson, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at Bishop Drumm Care Center in Johnston, Iowa.

She was born Aug. 15, 1922, the daughter of Adolph and Flora Petzoldt Koenig. She and Roy Thomas were married March 31, 1940. He died July 26, 1975.

Leona was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. She worked at the Palace Theater in Jackson several years, selling tickets. She was employed at the Jackson Hosiery Mill from 1957 to 1976 and at Southeast Hospital from 1976 until she retired in 1989.

Leona moved to Walden Point Assisted Living in Des Moines in August 2009. While there, she made numerous friends among the other residents and staff. She was known for taking twice-daily walks up and down the third-floor hallways and rarely missed bingo night.

Loving survivors include a son, Roy (Dann) Thomas Jr. of St. Matthews, South Carolina; two daughters, Katy (Tony) Kirn of Osage Beach, Missouri, and Tara Thomas (husband, Dave Lichtenauer) of Des Moines; three grandchildren, Jodi Christian of Merrillville, Indiana, Natalie Kirn of Pekin, Illinois, and Nicole (Craig) Bolda of Crown Point, Indiana; five great-grandchildren, Connor Christian of Merrillville, Mitchell and Ryan Bolda of Crown Point, Elison Sabat of Statesboro, Georgia, and Serra Kay of Pekin; a brother, Paul Koenig of Farmington, Missouri; and two sisters, Esther Reisenbichler of Chaffee, Missouri, and Nelda Leinger of Bloomsdale, Missouri.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; infant son, Robert Lynn Thomas; and four sisters, Olivia Yaeger, Rosie Pierce, Olga Ruessler and Melva Petty.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. at the funeral home, with the Rev. Joshua Schmidt officiating. Burial will follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mccombsfuneralhome.com.