Ruth Thomas

BURLEY – Ruth Hembree Dalton Thomas, passed away peacefully at the age of 90, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, in Sandy, Utah, where she had been residing for the past year. Ruth was born in Grace, Idaho, on Nov. 23, 1923, to Raymond Earl and Katherine Aladine (Hembree) Dalton and was the first of six children. In 1928, her family moved to Whidbey Island, Wash., where she developed a bronchial condition that troubled her throughout her life. They returned to Grace the following year. After three years of poor health, it was decided that she would move to California to live with her mother’s sister and her husband. They became affectionately known as “Auntie and Uncle Louie” and they raised Ruth from the age of nine until she graduated from high school. During this time, she was able to make occasional visits to see her family in Grace, Idaho. In 1942, Ruth’s family moved to Michigan and she joined them there where she worked in the office of the Chrysler tank plant and Watt’s Electric Plant. In 1945, she moved to Ogden, Utah, to work as the office manager of the American Linen Company. Ruth met her husband, Keith, in the summer of 1946, at a dance in Soda Springs, Idaho, and they were married in the Logan Utah LDS Temple on July 15, 1947. They lived and farmed in the Grace area until 1953, when they moved to the Minidoka area and developed a homestead but did not acquire ownership during the Government draw. So, they purchased a farm in Burley, Idaho, where they raised seven children. Keith and Ruth formed a family band that played for dances in the area on many occasions. Ruth worked in the scale house at the Elcock Beet Dump during the beet harvest for more than 20 years and really enjoyed the workers and patrons. Ruth was a mother and a wife that exhibited great love and patience. She always relied on the Lord and knew that we were here to learn from our trials and progress. She was very supportive of her husband and family and lived her life with grace. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many various callings. Our family will be forever blessed to have witnessed the sweetness of Mom and Dad’s love for each other as they have gone through this past year and last few days together. Words cannot express the tenderness we have seen. Mom will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Jack; one sister, Katherine; and a son, David J. Thomas. She is survived by her husband, Keith Turner Thomas of Sandy, Utah; her children, R Craig (Linda) Thomas of Orem, Utah, daughter-in-law, Irene Thomas, of North Salt Lake, Utah, Margaret (Jim) McMurtrey of Phoenix, Ariz., Neil R (Carla) Thomas of Burley, Anne (Dave) Merrill of Richland, Wash., and Steven R (Karen) Thomas, and Paula (Paul) Seaich both of Sandy, Utah; her siblings, Gene Ross (Shirley) Dalton, Francis (Bill) Stalder and Elizabeth (Alan) Taylor; 27 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, March 3, at the Burley LDS 2nd and 4th Ward Church, 515 E. 16th St., in Burley. Burial will be in the Grace Cemetery in Grace, Idaho. Friends may call from 5 until 7 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 9 until 9:45 a.m. Monday at the church.