MARILYN ANN (OLSON) THOMAS

I am not able to attend my grandmas funeral, however with that said, I still get to be a part of it. The family asked me to write the obituary and the eulogy. This is an honor to me and even thou I am 1000 miles away, I have learned so much more about my grandma. So, here it is. A little history, along with pictures, my grandma left behind.

Marilyn Ann Thomas, 78, a longtime Pasco resident, passed away at Avalon Rehabilitation Center in Pasco on March 8, 2010.

Marilyn was born on December 25, 1932 in Chappell, Nebraska during the Great Depression.

Her parents were Lilly Ann Olson and Elof Olson. She had 4 brothers and sisters; Jack, Ethel (Olson) Vails, Herbert, and Harland Olson. She was known as the special one because she was the baby, and born on Christmas day.


Her father was a farmer and in search of better farming opportunities. During the farmers’ revolt in August of 1933, they packed up from their home and moved to Pasco, Wa. This is where he bought their first plot of land with no idea what was instore. They were surprised to find Pasco was a desert...not the mountainous pine-tree region they had envisioned. They bought their new homestead, which was so small they hauled it over on the back of a hay truck. For years, they didn't have running water or electricity. But, She grew to love the area and the new surroundings of the rolling hills and Columbia River.
As a young child she spent time learning from her mother how to make everything homemade from food to clothes. In the summer she rode bikes, swam at Volunteer Park, and played hard on the farm with her brothers and sister. There was always a camera present for family photos on their front steps and around the farm, capturing the moments of their lives infront of vehicles.

She enjoyed going to the Moore Mansion every Christmas and Easter for an annual party. This is where they would reunite with other local farmers and receive homemade mittens as gifts.What an exciting event this was for her.

She attended Longfellow School between 1938-1947. She was an active member of the Girl Scouts and surrounded herself with friends and laughter. She grew and got involved with extracurricular activities like reading, cooking, tennis, basketball and baseball. As a teenager, she was outgoing and adventurous. She hauled her camera with her, posing for pictures on cars, or frolicking in the park with friends.

She attended Pasco High School between 1948-1950. During her high school year, she had the honors of playing baseball on the All American Girls Baseball Team traveling all over the Midwest competing . Before she got a chance to graduate, she met Billy Thomas and got married on December 25, 1950. She worked at for many years at Tri-City Auto Auction and as a cook at Franklin County Jail.

Marilyn had 3 children; Rhonda (Frimodt) Debra (Lloyd), and Daniel Thomas. As a homemaker she created the most beautiful gardens, cooked homemade meals from scratch, and sewed all the children’s clothes. She had the ability to turn any piece of food into a gourmet meal and with a touch of her love; the garden grew in abundance every year. She enjoyed taking pictures watching PBS, reading the newspaper, country music, talk radio, and the Tri-City history as it continued to change.

Marilyn cared for others that were misfortunate or the underdog, was a non-judgmental person, and very kind hearted. She always had a determined spirit, and was stubborn in her ways, but always positive. You could always talk about life struggles with her, as she had a heart of gold and a good understanding. She loved it when visitors would stop by and could chat about whatever was on their minds. Her smile and laugh was a recipe for happiness.

Marilyn struggled with diabetes in her old age. In January 2010, Marilyn unexpectedly had a few mild strokes, and lost some of her memory. In February, she had a larger stroke and fell, breaking her arm and sending her to the hospital. There they found she had lung cancer and within weeks, the effects had taken over her whole body.