Karen Sue Thomas, 53, died Thursday, March 11, 2010 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, after a long 12-year battle with cancer. No services will be held. Cremation has been done.
Karen was born Aug. 25, 1956 in El Dorado, the daughter of LaVern and Peggy Kingsley. She was married to A. Jay Thomas Sept. 8, 1973, and has lived in Towanda since. Karen worked in insurance for over 30 years. She started with EMC Wichita branch for three years, worked for J.C. Hoyt Personal Lines CSR in El Dorado for seven years. She obtained her K.I.A. license property/casualty and life/health lines. She worked for Murry Insurance for four years as a personal lines manager CSR, railroad savings loan officer. She worked for Dulaney, Johnson and Priest for four years as personal lines manager and in charge of automation dept. She worked for Financial Guardian/Jardine Ins. Brokers for six years as commercial lines CSR handling national restaurant franchises across the U.S. She worked for Applied Systems Inc. as a training specialist, traveling to various insurance offices across the U.S. training them on applied software.
Also on the side she owned and operated Bear Country-Gifts and Crafts, Thomas Office equipment, Thomas Computer and Printing, Kept Secrets Antiques, and at the end of her working career was teaching computer classes at BCCC.
Karen and her husband started the Camp-a-Rama Camping Club in 1985 and 2005. She also founded and started Bunco for the Bunco Baby Boomers. Karen was a wonderful wife, homemaker and care giver. She loved to camp, travel and cruise and in recent years hit the slots and spend as much time as she could with her nieces and nephews. She was a staunch Dallas Cowboy Fan.
Surviving family include: her husband, A. Jay of the home; sister, Tina Kennedy and husband Dennis of El Dorado; brother, Robert Edwards of El Dorado; step-mother, Joyce Kingsley of El Dorado; and lots of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-great-nieces and nephews. Her most cherished care givers her dog “Tig” and cat “Boris.”
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with Cancer Research. Contributions may be left at Kirby-Morris Funeral Home who is helping with arrangements. To share a memory go to wwwkirbymorrisfuneralhome.com.
