Gladys Louise Williams Thomas, 94, of Dandridge, Tenn., passed away on Monday, December 17, 2018, at Jefferson City Health and Rehab. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Jefferson City. She was born and raised in Elizabethton, Tenn. She was the great-niece of the late William C. O’Brien, who was Carter County Judge for 42 years.
During WWII she moved to Oak Ridge, Tenn., where she worked on the Manhattan Project. After leaving Oak Ridge, she temporarily moved back to Elizabethton. In 1950 she married James “Jim” Thomas (she called him “Jimmy”) and moved to Jefferson City, where he owned and operated Thomas Service Station. She helped at the station by working as a bookkeeper; however, when the need arose, she rolled up her sleeves and pumped gas, cleaned windshields, put air in tires, and even washed and waxed cars. She had a variety of jobs after the station closed, which included factory work, health care, and retail.
The last 20-30 years of her working life were spent putting her artistic talents to use, making 3-D pictures and other craft items. She and her husband enjoyed traveling to craft shows in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina in the late 1970s. In 1981 she opened her own shop, “The Podge Patch,” just in time for the 1982 World’s Fair. She closed her shop in the late 1990s but continued to travel to craft shows until the early 2000s.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bryan O’Brien Williams and Nancy Matilda Williams; brothers, Paul A. Williams and B.C. Williams; four brothers who died at birth; and her loving husband of 52 years, James “Jim” Thomas.
She is survived by her daughter, Sabrina Thomas of Dandridge; sister-in-law, Rose Williams of Oakley, Calif.; niece, Charlene Williams Franchetto and husband Tony of Oakley, Calif.; niece, Linda Williams Garcia and husband Jon of Isleton, Calif.; niece, Betty Wood Burnette of Knoxville, Tenn.; nephew, Paul A. Williams Jr. and wife Debra of Hampton, Tenn.; great-nephew, Alan McCarrell of Knoxville, Tenn.; and several other nieces, nephews and cousins.
Special thanks go to all of the loving caregivers from Home Instead Senior Care, and the kind, caring, and supportive CNAs and nurses from Tennova Hospice and Jefferson City Health and Rehabilitation.
Funeral services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 20, at First United Methodist Church of Jefferson City with Rev. Lloyd Jones and Rev. Doug Wilder officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m., prior to the service at the church. Family and friends will gather at 10:45 a.m. on Friday at Jefferson Memorial Gardens for an 11 a.m. graveside interment service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First United Methodist Church of Jefferson City (Music Ministry), Jefferson County Humane Society, and C.A.R.E. of Jefferson County.
Arrangements by Farrar Funeral Home, Jefferson City, TN (865-475-3892). www.farrarfuneralhome.com