Lillie B Thomas

Funeral services for Mother Lillie B. Thomas, 76, of Blue Grass, IA will 10:00 a.m. Saturday at Church of God in Christ, Davenport.  Burial will be in Pine Cemetery, Davenport.

Visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Friday at Church of God in Christ.

Sunday, January 14, 2018, Mother Lillie B. Thomas was called to rest from her labor at Trinity Hospital, Rock Island, Illinois.  

Mother Lillie Thomas was born October 19th, 1941 to the late Luther and Leola Bell in Weona, Arkansas.   She was raised by her loving grandparents, Price and Fannie Coleman. She attended Marion Anderson School in Brinkley, Arkansas.  Mother Lillie married Scipio Thomas January 31, 1959 and shortly after left Arkansas and moved to Des Moines, Iowa.  Born to that union was their only child, Scipio Thomas, Jr. who was the joy of her life.  After four brief years in Des Moines they relocated to Davenport, Iowa.   While working as a nurse aid, Mother Thomas, was given a scholarship for nursing school.  In 1965 she graduated from St. Luke Nursing School.  She worked thirty-five years as a registered nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital (Genesis East).   In 2002 she retired from nursing, yet never lost her love of caring for the sick.  

Mother Thomas gave her life to the Lord under the leadership of Bishop M.W. Goodman, in her early twenties.  After moving to Davenport, she was under the leadership of Elder William Frison.  She also served under the leadership of Elder Murl Richardson, Elder Donell Owens, and Elder Cornelius Boone.  She loved teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, and giving many eloquent messages for Christ.  Mother Lillie was known for generosity and liberal giving, another way she supported the church was through the selling of her “heavy” potato pies which were enjoyed by many.  

Mother Lillie learned how to crotchet during a craft class taught by Mother Jean Williams.  She loved listening to music while cranking out blankets.  She enjoyed going to garage sales, during the summer she would drive from Davenport to Des Moines to go to rummage sales with her sister- in- law and her nephew, everyone else was excluded from their adventures.  She loved traveling with her sister-in-law and nieces to various places throughout the United States.  She was most peaceful when watching birds or listening to music.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Price and Fannie Coleman; parents, Luther and Leola Bell; siblings, Luther (Pete) Bell, Fannie Harris; and son, Scipio Thomas Jr.

Those left to cherish her memories include her husband, Scipio Thomas; brother, Robert Lee Bell; children she was a mother to, Derek Thomas, Stanley Thomas, Bradley Thomas, Ed Thomas, Erwin Thomas, Mary Thomas, and Kari Thomas; and a host of nieces and nephew who she dearly loved. 

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