| Notes |
- OBITUARY:
Obituary for Jesse Ray. Unknown newspaper.
Services Set Friday for J.R. Thomas J.R. Thomas, 56, a resident for 30 years, died at the Perryton Hospital Wednesday morning of a heart attack. He had been a patient in the hospital since Sunday night.
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the First Baptist church with the Rev. Keith McCormick in charge.
Born in Missouri on August 5, 1896 to Mr. and Mrs. K.K. Thomas, he moved to Elton, La., he attended LSU two years prior to elisting in the service during World War I in 1916.
On May 16, 1920 he was married to Juanita Celeste Johnson of Elton, La. They moved to Perryton in the fall of 1920 and engaged in farming.
rom 1921 to 1926 they lived in Denver Colo., and Port Arthur, Texas. They returned to Perryton in 1926 and the business firm of McLain and Thomas insurance realtors, was formed in January 1926.
He later added farming and operation of an implement company to his business enterprises, but dropped out of the latter two in the last few years due to ill health.
Survivors include the wife, Celeste, two children William R. Thomas of Denver and Mrs. Peggy Whitaker of Tuscaloosa, Ala., his parents, Mr and Mrs K. K. Thomas of Perryton; a grandchild, Gary Thomas; and a sister, Mrs. C. J. Hutchinson of Baton Rouge, La.
***************
BIOGRAPHY:
Biography written by Peggy Thomas Bakken
"Ochiltree County History", Volume 2, pages 403-404.
Jesse Ray Thomas first came to Perryton in 1925 to stay temporarily with his parents, K.K. and Lulu Thomas. He was recuperating from an accident suffered while roughnecking in the oil fields near Port Aurthur. Shortly thereafter, complications from the flu contracted while in the service in WW I required him to wear a body cast the rest of his life - a fact which did not dampen his cheerful disposition and zest for living.
While Ray was recuperting from the accident, his wife Celeste, with their not quite two-year-old son, William Ray, was awaiting the birth of their second child with her parents, Perry J. and Sally Johnson, in Elton, Louisiana. The enforced seperation was difficult for both parents and in letters they dreamed of the time they could be together to start their new life in Perryton.
The dream began to come true when Ray went to Louisiana in April 1926 and brought his family (now including 6-week-old Peggy Jane) back to Perryton, driving a Model A Ford with two ets of spark plugs. While one set was in use, Celeste cleaned the other set.
Perryton was a new, frontier town and the stories recalled by their children involved Main Street boardwalks, water sold by the barrel, and law enforcement by Texas Rangers. Louisiana born and bred Celeste had the essential rice and chicory coffe sent to Perryton by her family.
Ray joined Tom McLain in McLain and Thomas Real Estate and Insurance, and the partnership endured until Tom's death. Ray continued the business alone until he died at age of 56 in 1953. Their false-fronted office building was located on Main Street next to what is now the Perryton Office Supply Company. The building itself has been moved to the Museum of the Plains and is outfitted as a general store.
Ray also owned, with A.K. Wooten, the Thomas-Wooten Implement Company. He was also head clerk of the Cattle Auction for many years. Celeste worked there as assistant clerk.
The family firstt lived at 302 South Colgate. In 1935, in the middle of the Depression and Dust Bowl era, they moved to a farm three and a half miles northwest of town. Celeste many times told the story of having to to prepare breakfast several times one particularly bad morning, in an effort to get the food to the table before dust covered it.
During this era, they became discouraged and made a trip to Arkansas with the thought of moving there. Althugh they returned with a car full fo fruits and vegetables, the prronounced it a "land of no ambition" and elected to remain in Perryton. During the war in 1944, unable to get help on the farm, they built a home at 717 South Colgate.
Both Ray and Celeste were active in community and church affairs. Ray was president of the VFW in the 30s, served on the Ration Board during WW II, and was active in the Rotary. He was an entusiastic supporter of the school athletic teams, frequently acting as offical time keeper for the basketball tournaments, and was a lie Deacon and dedicated worker in the First Baptist Church.
Celeste was active in the Sorosis Clu and the First Baptist Church, where she served as president of the WMS and was for many years the superintentent of the Sunda School Primary Department. In 1956, three years after Ray's death, Celeste became a dormitory director at Wayland Baptist College in Plainview, position she held for eight years. In 1964 she went to live with her daughter in Virginia, ntil her death in 1968 at age 67.
After her Mother's death, Peggy discovered Ray's letters to Celeste during their health-enforced separation in the winter of 1925-26. The post script on the last letter before their reunion stated that their foremost desires were to be together, to be happy, and to educate their children.
Their children both graduated from Perryton High, Bill in 1941 and Peggy in 1943. Bill attended Oklahoma A&M for a year prior to enlisting in the Army. He served with the 99th Infantry Division and was in the Battle of the Bulge. He returned to Perryton after the war and was associated with his father in farming. In 1949, he went to Denver University, receiving a BS degree in mechanical engineering in 1954. He is a registered professional engineer in Arizona and continues to work as a design and production engineer in Phoenix.
Peggy received a BA degree from Baylor in 1947. After teaching in Spearman for a year, she helped put KEYE on the air and worked at the tation for two years. She attended the University of Alabama and received a MA in 1955. After 29 years of teaching speech, she retired from Marymount College in Virginia as Professor Emeritus, and currently resides in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Ray and Celeste Thomas are both buried in the Thomas plot in Ochiltree Cemetery, and though their children have been gone for many years, they still consider Perryton their home and return as often as possible to touch base with friends. - Peggy Thomas Bakken
OBITUARY:
Obituary for Jesse Ray. Unknown newspaper.
Services Set Friday for J.R. Thomas J.R. Thomas, 56, a resident for 30 years, died at the Perryton Hospital Wednesday morning of a heart attack. He had been a patient in the hospital since Sunday night.
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the First Baptist church with the Rev. Keith McCormick in charge.
Born in Missouri on August 5, 1896 to Mr. and Mrs. K.K. Thomas, he moved to Elton, La., he attended LSU two years prior to elisting in the service during World War I in 1916.
On May 16, 1920 he was married to Juanita Celeste Johnson of Elton, La. They moved to Perryton in the fall of 1920 and engaged in farming.
rom 1921 to 1926 they lived in Denver Colo., and Port Arthur, Texas. They returned to Perryton in 1926 and the business firm of McLain and Thomas insurance realtors, was formed in January 1926.
He later added farming and operation of an implement company to his business enterprises, but dropped out of the latter two in the last few years due to ill health.
Survivors include the wife, Celeste, two children William R. Thomas of Denver and Mrs. Peggy Whitaker of Tuscaloosa, Ala., his parents, Mr and Mrs K. K. Thomas of Perryton; a grandchild, Gary Thomas; and a sister, Mrs. C. J. Hutchinson of Baton Rouge, La.
***************
BIOGRAPHY:
Biography written by Peggy Thomas Bakken
"Ochiltree County History", Volume 2, pages 403-404.
Jesse Ray Thomas first came to Perryton in 1925 to stay temporarily with his parents, K.K. and Lulu Thomas. He was recuperating from an accident suffered while roughnecking in the oil fields near Port Aurthur. Shortly thereafter, complications from the flu contracted while in the service in WW I required him to wear a body cast the rest of his life - a fact which did not dampen his cheerful disposition and zest for living.
While Ray was recuperting from the accident, his wife Celeste, with their not quite two-year-old son, William Ray, was awaiting the birth of their second child with her parents, Perry J. and Sally Johnson, in Elton, Louisiana. The enforced seperation was difficult for both parents and in letters they dreamed of the time they could be together to start their new life in Perryton.
The dream began to come true when Ray went to Louisiana in April 1926 and brought his family (now including 6-week-old Peggy Jane) back to Perryton, driving a Model A Ford with two ets of spark plugs. While one set was in use, Celeste cleaned the other set.
Perryton was a new, frontier town and the stories recalled by their children involved Main Street boardwalks, water sold by the barrel, and law enforcement by Texas Rangers. Louisiana born and bred Celeste had the essential rice and chicory coffe sent to Perryton by her family.
Ray joined Tom McLain in McLain and Thomas Real Estate and Insurance, and the partnership endured until Tom's death. Ray continued the business alone until he died at age of 56 in 1953. Their false-fronted office building was located on Main Street next to what is now the Perryton Office Supply Company. The building itself has been moved to the Museum of the Plains and is outfitted as a general store.
Ray also owned, with A.K. Wooten, the Thomas-Wooten Implement Company. He was also head clerk of the Cattle Auction for many years. Celeste worked there as assistant clerk.
The family firstt lived at 302 South Colgate. In 1935, in the middle of the Depression and Dust Bowl era, they moved to a farm three and a half miles northwest of town. Celeste many times told the story of having to to prepare breakfast several times one particularly bad morning, in an effort to get the food to the table before dust covered it.
During this era, they became discouraged and made a trip to Arkansas with the thought of moving there. Althugh they returned with a car full fo fruits and vegetables, the prronounced it a "land of no ambition" and elected to remain in Perryton. During the war in 1944, unable to get help on the farm, they built a home at 717 South Colgate.
Both Ray and Celeste were active in community and church affairs. Ray was president of the VFW in the 30s, served on the Ration Board during WW II, and was active in the Rotary. He was an entusiastic supporter of the school athletic teams, frequently acting as offical time keeper for the basketball tournaments, and was a lie Deacon and dedicated worker in the First Baptist Church.
Celeste was active in the Sorosis Clu and the First Baptist Church, where she served as president of the WMS and was for many years the superintentent of the Sunda School Primary Department. In 1956, three years after Ray's death, Celeste became a dormitory director at Wayland Baptist College in Plainview, position she held for eight years. In 1964 she went to live with her daughter in Virginia, ntil her death in 1968 at age 67.
After her Mother's death, Peggy discovered Ray's letters to Celeste during their health-enforced separation in the winter of 1925-26. The post script on the last letter before their reunion stated that their foremost desires were to be together, to be happy, and to educate their children.
Their children both graduated from Perryton High, Bill in 1941 and Peggy in 1943. Bill attended Oklahoma A&M for a year prior to enlisting in the Army. He served with the 99th Infantry Division and was in the Battle of the Bulge. He returned to Perryton after the war and was associated with his father in farming. In 1949, he went to Denver University, receiving a BS degree in mechanical engineering in 1954. He is a registered professional engineer in Arizona and continues to work as a design and production engineer in Phoenix.
Peggy received a BA degree from Baylor in 1947. After teaching in Spearman for a year, she helped put KEYE on the air and worked at the tation for two years. She attended the University of Alabama and received a MA in 1955. After 29 years of teaching speech, she retired from Marymount College in Virginia as Professor Emeritus, and currently resides in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Ray and Celeste Thomas are both buried in the Thomas plot in Ochiltree Cemetery, and though their children have been gone for many years, they still consider Perryton their home and return as often as possible to touch base with friends. - Peggy Thomas Bakken
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1896 - UNKNOWN
