LaVern Janice (Gregg) Thomas

After an amazing and full life, LaVern Janice (Gregg) Thomas, age 99, died Sunday, February 25, 2024, Hugoton, Kansas.

She was born on June 20, 1924, in Stevens County, Kansas to Robert Arthur and Edna Idonia (Bevan) Gregg.

LaVern attended Bethel Grade School and graduated in 1942 from Hugoton High School. At age 16, she started working in Sunday School at Bethel Friends Church with the Cradle Roll Department. With the exception of a few years when her children were small, she taught classes of all ages until her hearing got too bad to continue. Her favorite students were the 4th through the 6th grade.

LaVern married Frank Junior Thomas on the 19th of October 1942. This union resulted in three children, Phyllis Kaye, Robert Frank, and Ronald Duane Thomas. LaVern enjoyed many different crafts, including quilting, woodworking, upholstering chairs, canning, cake decorating, making clothes for the family, and writing poems. Gardening and raising flowers were favorites, but her greatest joy of all was her Savior, her husband, her children, and their families.

LaVern was a help mate to her husband Frank. She drove machinery and spent many hours hauling grain to the elevators.

She and Frank were in the Foster Child Care Program, keeping upper aged children, until a foster home could be found for them. They then provided a home for a nephew for 3 years. After retirement, they traveled abroad. Frank served 21 years of School Board service, so they seldom missed a ball game.

She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Marigail Thomas of Sublette;
son Ronald Thomas and his wife, Martha of Hugoton;
grandchildren; Richard Mohr of Colorado Springs, Colorado;
Michael Mohr and his wife, Christine, of Colorado Springs, Colorado;
Elise Heger and her husband, Kirk of Lawrence;
Patti Thomas of Goddard, Kansas;
Marc Thomas of Wichita, Kansas;
Amanda Ruth Vaughan and her husband, Jason of Sublette, Kansas;
M. Rene Brown and her husband, Ty of Concordia;
Ricki Thomas of Pratt, Kansas,
Duana Tatro of Childress, Texas;
Dustin Thomas and his wife Jennifer of Winston-Salem, North Carolina,
20 great-grandchildren
and 11 Great-great-grandchildren.

LaVern was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Junior Thomas; parents Robert and Edna Gregg’ a brother Elmer Arthur Gregg; one daughter, Phyllis Kaye Thomas; one son, Robert Frank Thomas; one great-granddaughter, and two great-grandsons.

Visitation will be 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Sunday, March 3, 2024, at the Hornung Family Funeral Home, 1212 W. 2nd Street, Liberal, Kansas.

The funeral will be at 2:00 PM, Monday, March 4, 2024, at Bethel Friends Church, 1040 S. Jefferson Street, Hugoton, Kansas. Pastor Jeff Nagell will be presiding.

Burial to follow at Restlawn Cemetery in Liberal.

Memorial Donations suggested by the family to
Bethel Friends Church, or
Liberal Friends Church, or
Evangelical Friends Mission
In care of Hornung Family Funeral Home, 1212 W. 2nd Street, Liberal, Kansas.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.hornungfuneralhome.com Hornung Family Funeral Home, 1212 W. 2nd Street, Liberal, Kansas