Betty L. Thomas

Betty L. Thomas, 90, of Clear Lake, died Sunday, April 6, 2014 at the Oakwood Care Center in  Clear Lake.

Memorial services were held on Saturday, April 12, at Galilean Lutheran Church, in Clear Lake, with Rev. Scott McCluskey officiating.   Her body was donated to the University of Iowa Department Of Anatomy.  Inurnment will be at a later date at the Clear Lake Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Galilean Lutheran Church, Zion Lutheran Church or the Clear Lake Library.

  Betty Lorraine Thomas, the daughter of Daniel, Jr. and Alphena (Thompson) Spilman, was born Sept. 17, 1923 on the family farm south of Clear Lake.  She graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1941 and worked at a Clear Lake grocery store.  On Feb. 16, 1945 she was married to Clifford “Bill” Thomas in Clear Lake.  They lived in Mason City and the Clear Lake-Ventura area most of their married life, of which 52 years was spent at their home on S. 12th St. in Clear Lake.  Betty was a homemaker and enjoyed gardening, cross-stitching, crocheting and quilting.

  She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and was a Church Circle Bible Study Leader for 40 years and Bethel teacher.

  Betty is survived by her two sons, Dan (Jennie) Thomas, of Hastings, Minn., and Jim Thomas (special friend, Shannon Lamb), of Evansville, Ind.; two grandchildren, Lori Thomas, of Cambridge, Mass., and Joel Thomas, of Hastings, Minn.; a brother, Danny Spilman, of Rockwell; a sister-in-law, Phyllis “Till” Spilman, of Clear Lake; and numerous nieces and nephews.

  She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bill, July 20, 1998; brothers, Dale, Orville “Fritz”, Sam, and Wayne “Shorty” Spilman; and two sisters, Helen “Sis” Duregger and Thelma Duregger.  

Cataldo Funeral Home, in Garner, was in charge of arrangements.