THOMAS (VETERAN WWII), NOVA ROSE - Madison County, Arkansas | NOVA ROSE THOMAS (VETERAN WWII) - Arkansas Gravestone Photos

Nova Rose THOMAS (VETERAN WWII)

Huntsville Cemetery
Madison County,
Arkansas

Rex
Nov 22,1905-Feb 2,1985
Rex was born in Huntington Co., Indiana, the son of William Arthur Thomas and Anna May Belle King Thomas. He worked in the oil fields as a boy. Formerly owned his own garage and restaurant. Rex married Nova Rose O'Brien on 12 August 1950 in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, her hometown.
Rex and Nova were parents of 4 sons:
1) Clayton O'Brien Thomas, born 10 July 1951, Raymond, Alberta, Canada. Married Cinda Christine Richesin on 29 December 1972 in Little Rock, Arkansas. (Children: Joshua Michael Thomas, 27 March 1974; David Richesin Thomas, 26 February 1977; James Clayton Thomas, 18 July 1981; and Eleanor Carolyn Thomas, 18 October 1982.)
2) Mark O'Brien Thomas, stillborn 6 July 1952, Raymond, Alberta, Canada. Buried July 1952, Temple Hill Cemetery, Raymond, Alberta, Canada.
3) Rex William Thomas, Jr., born 13 February 1954, Chillicothe, Ross Co., Ohio. Married 1) Darla Marie Krug on 1 November 1979 in Jay, Delaware County, Oklahoma. Divorced 1 May 1981, Fayetteville, Arkansas; 2) Sandra Lee Boyd on 1 November 1982 in Huntsville, Arkansas. (Children: Amanda Marie Thomas, 1 February 1984 and Aaron O'Brien Thomas, 3 August 1985.) Divorced 5 December 2000, Fayetteville, Tennessee. 3) Brenda Lee on 16 March 2002 in Manti, Sanpete County, Utah.
4) John O'Brien Thomas, born 7 November 1955, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Married Marlene Ann Evans on
12 February 1978 in Pettigrew, Madison County, Arkansas. (Children: Tessa Nicole Thomas Peterson, 26 November 1978 and John Patrick "John John" Thomas, 21 May 1980.) Marlene died on 12 September 1984 in Tulsa, Oklahoma from head injuries sustained in a car wreck near her home in Benton County. She is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery south of Pettigrew, Arkansas. John died on 7 January 2005 in Denver, Colorado from liver failure. He was cremated, and his ashes were buried with Marlene in Pine Grove Cemetery. south of Pettigrew.
Rex was a pipe-fitter, construction foreman, and superintendent for Fluor International. Traveled extensively in his career with Fluor, including foreign assignments to Saudi Arabia and relocating with his family for a year to the Hague, Netherlands. Retired from Fluor Corporation.
Settled his family on a farm on Bohannon Mountain, Madison County, Arkansas in 1959. Farmer and cattleman. Member, Arkansas Cattlemen's Association and BPOE.
Member, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Huntsville Branch. Helped establish Fayetteville and Huntsville Branches of the Church.
With Auleva Sinclair, his wife who died in 1937, Rex was the adoptive father of Rex David Thomas, founder of Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers. It is possible Rex was David's biological father as well.
Before marrying Nova, Rex was married to - and divorced from - Sarah Viola Fulk. From that union Rex had a daughter:
Patricia Ann Thomas, (Mem. #95257432) b. 31 Oct 1944, Princeton, Indiana; d. 3 Mar 2012, Edmond, Oklahoma; buried Mar 2012, Gracelawn Cemetery, Edmond, Oklahoma.

Nova
Nov 7,1918-Sept 19,1981
Nova was born in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, the daughter of Clarence Alphonso O'Brien and Ada Ann Palmer O'Brien. Her family were Mormon pioneers since 14 February 1835 when her great-grandparents, Abraham Palmer and Patience Delilah Pierce Palmer, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day States in New York. They helped pioneer Missouri, Nauvoo, Illinois, Utah, and then Alberta, Canada.
Nova played basketball and graduated from Raymond High School. She served in the Royal Canadian Air Force throughout World War II as did her brother, Clayton O'Brien.
After the War, she served a mission for the LDS Church in Hawaii. She served the Japanese-speaking people of Hawaii, so had to learn to speak Japanese.
Nova married Rex William Thomas, Sr. on 12 August 1950 in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, her hometown.
Rex and Nova were parents of 4 sons:
1) Clayton O'Brien Thomas, born 10 July 1951, Raymond, Alberta, Canada. Married Cinda Christine Richesin on 29 December 1972 in Little Rock, Arkansas. (Children: Joshua Michael Thomas, 27 March 1974; David Richesin Thomas, 26 February 1977; James Clayton Thomas, 18 July 1981; and Eleanor Carolyn Thomas, 18 October 1982.)
2) Mark O'Brien Thomas, stillborn 6 July 1952, Raymond, Alberta, Canada. Buried July 1952, Temple Hill Cemetery, Raymond, Alberta, Canada.
3) Rex William Thomas, Jr., born 13 February 1954, Chillicothe, Ross Co., Ohio. Married 1) Darla Marie Krug on 1 November 1979 in Jay, Delaware County, Oklahoma. Divorced 1 May 1981, Fayetteville, Arkansas; 2) Sandra Lee Boyd on 1 November 1982 in Huntsville, Arkansas. (Children: Amanda Marie Thomas, 1 February 1984 and Aaron O'Brien Thomas, 3 August 1985.) Divorced 5 December 2000, Fayetteville, Tennessee. 3) Brenda Lee on 16 March 2002 in Manti, Sanpete County, Utah.
4) John O'Brien Thomas, born 7 November 1955, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Married Marlene Ann Evans on
12 February 1978 in Pettigrew, Madison County, Arkansas. Marlene died on 12 September 1984 in Tulsa, Oklahoma from head injuries sustained in a car wreck near her home in Benton County. She is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery south of Pettigrew, Arkansas. John died on 7 January 2005 in Denver, Colorado from liver failure. He was cremated, and his ashes were buried with Marlene in Pine Grove Cemetery. south of Pettigrew.
Nova relocated with her family to a farm on Bohannon Mountain in Madison County, Arkansas in 1959.
She was a homemaker and later started a tax service, and formed a longtime professional partnership with her close friend, Mildred "Mick" Smith.
She was a member of the Huntsville Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and helped establish the Fayetteville and Huntsville Branches of the Church.
She was active in the community, including the Madison County Cowbelles Association.

Contributed on 5/9/14 by bill060
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Record #: 999370

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Submitted: 5/9/14 • Approved: 5/9/14 • Last Updated: 10/22/19 • R999370-G999369-S3

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