Charles Thomas

Obituary of Charles Thomas Charles Francis Thomas, 86, of The Villages, died on Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, at the The Villages Regional Hospital after a brief illness. Charles Francis Thomas, son of William and Elizabeth, was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 9th, 1926. He was drafted into the United States 13th Army Air Corps at age 18, where he served honorably in the South Pacific military theater operations during the Second World War. Charles was stationed on the Philippine Islands during his service. Years later, as a Citicorp employee, he would return to the Philippines with his bride and young family. Charles returned to the US in 1948 and took a job with Citicorp in Brooklyn. He began his career as a bookkeeper. Over the next 18 years Charles rotated in and out of every position available in the bank's metropolitan branches. He worked as a savings teller, worked at Kennedy Airport buying and selling currency, was a loan officer, a note teller and even worked in the auditing department. Charles met his wife, Oie Asta Puskar, who was also a Citicorp employee at the time, and they married on January 16th, 1965. Throughout their years of marriage Charles' job took them on Citibank assignments to Seoul, Korea; Agana, Guam; Manila, Philippines; Nairobi, Kenya, and eventually back stateside to St. Louis, Missouri. From 1966 through 1982 the Thomas family experienced many interesting adventures as a growing and travelling family. While living overseas the Thomas' were blessed with two lovely children. Charles Jr and Susan attended the International Schools Systems in the Pacific and Africa. Charles Sr once said, "I was 18 years old before I managed to travel west of the Hudson River. Before either one of my children reached 18, they had already been around the world at least five times." The Thomas family lost Oie, their beloved wife and mother, on March 21, 1982 to cancer. Charles retired from his international Citicorp career on Friday, July 30, 1982, as Senior Vice President of Operations. Charles then moved his family to the Central Texas Hill Country community of Lakeway, just outside of Austin, Texas, where he lived for 18 years. Charles met his current wife, LaDelle, at a dance in Texas in the 1990s and they fell in love. They were married on January 30th, 1997 in Austin, Texas. In 2000 they picked up and moved to The Villages, Florida, and set up their home in the Village of La Zamora. The Thomas's loved the Villages and made many friends there, including one of their all-time favorites, Sam Newsom. Charles and LaDelle loved to socialize, travel internationally to destinations like Germany and China and spend time together. Charles was an avid golfer and always had a joke to tell, a permanent smile, and a love for Blue Bell ice cream. He volunteered his time at the Villages Hospice House, the St Vincent De Paul Society, and the Legion of Mary at St. Timothy Catholic Church. Charles is survived by his wife LaDelle; his children Susan (Wade) Thomas Sullivan of Austin, Texas, and Charles Thomas Jr of Rochester, Minnesota; his grandchildren Gabriella Thomas, Mia Thomas, Henry Thomas, and Sofia Thomas, all of Rochester, Minnesota; and Ladelle's daughters Janet (Jim) Beneke of Austin, Texas, and Susan (Jim) Urbanus, of Dallas, Texas, and their children. Charles is also survived by his nieces Jacalyn and Eva and nephews George and Arno. His wife, Oie, his parents, his sisters, Katherine and Mary, and brother, Henry, preceded Charles in death. There will be a funeral mass at St. Timothy Catholic Church in the Villages, Monday Sept.16, at 8:30 a.m. Family and friends may call at Beyers Funeral Home and Crematory in Lady Lake/The Villages from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. In lieu of flowers please donate in Charles' memory to the Villages Hospice House or the St Vincent De Paul Society. Visitation Family and friends may call at Beyers Funeral Home and Crematory in Lady Lake/The Villages from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Services There will be a funeral mass at St. Timothy Catholic Church in the Villages, Monday Sept.16, at 8:30 a.m. Memorial Donations In lieu of flowers please donate in Charles' memory to the Villages Hospice House or the St Vincent De Paul Society.

Charles Thomas

December 9, 1926 - September 9, 2013