Kathleen Viola Thomas

Kathleen Thomas (Niles) born November 1, 1926, passed away on November 14, 2021, at age 96, at Sunset Lodge in Victoria, BC.

Kitty was born in La Ross, Saskatchewan. Second child to Glendora (Smith) and Frances Patrick Niles. Kitty loved spending time with her siblings. Some of her fondest memories were spending time with her brother, Stan. He would travel from Saskatchewan to curling bonspiel here in Victoria.

Kitty enjoyed the time spent travelling with her sister, Dolly, to Alaska and trip to New Brunswick to visit her father’s birthplace. Dolly and her husband, Marvin, spent numerous vacations visiting Cloverdale and Victoria. These visits were always the highlight of the year. She always found a way to attend the many nieces and nephews’ weddings. These nieces and nephews all had special meaning to her. These moments were so important to her. Family was always there.

Her sister Yvonne was the only sibling in BC. Yvonne and her family, Hilary, Mark, Brian, and John would come to Cloverdale for Sunday dinner, and Kitty would cook. Kitty loved to cook (and was great at it).

One of Kitty’s special moments in her life was the experience to travel with her nephew, John Goheen, overseas to visit the sites of WWII.

Dolly’s girls Linda, Nancy, Lory, and Burdine and Bill, had many a visit whether family reunions or a holiday. Kitty always thought of family time as a way to catch up.

Kitty was at her best arranging and hosting dinners for a family reunion or a church tea or at her condo building. She embraced this with enthusiasm.

She leaves behind 2 daughters, Shirley Holmes (Thomas) and Roberta Wilson (Thomas).

Shirley married Robert Holmes and has 2 daughters Dawn and Paula and 1 son Kristopher. Shirley has 2 grandsons Tylor and Dario, 2 great grandsons Thomas and Tylor Jr. and step great granddaughter Rihanna.

Kitty got to meet her great great grandson Thomas, but Tylor Jr. was born after she passed. She has numerous step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.

Roberta, married to John Wilson, has two children Steven and Derrick.

Kitty was predeceased by husband Lenord Thomas, of 62 years, her parents and all her siblings Hazel, Roy, Dolly, Stan, Yvonne, and Frances. Kitty was also predeceased by her grandson Steven Wilson and son-in-law John Wilson.

Kitty started her life in Saskatchewan and her heart stayed there. Her family were farmers at La Ross and later moved to Kindersley, Saskatchewan. She had many stories of taking horse to school and her first ride in a car.

In 1945 she married Lenord Clare Thomas in a small ceremony with her sister-in-law Donelda (Ned) Keowan and her husband Robert (Bert) standing up for them. They then moved to a converted Grainery, for their first home. They moved to Glidden to continue the hard life of farming. There was no electricity or running water. Kitty would talk about the times snow was brought in and melted on the stove and clothes were scrubbed on a washboard. It was a hard life but that is where her heart stayed.

In 1952, Kitty and Lenord moved to British Columbia to settle in on the coast in Cloverdale. A small town in Surrey. She raised family and kept busy with canning and doing gardening, needle point, and sewing.

She did waitress in her younger years in Saskatchewan and in Cloverdale. In her sixties she volunteered and managed a kitchen in the seniors’ center in Cloverdale. She joined a senior slow pitch baseball team. She was very proud about winning the tournament. She was a guild member at Cloverdale United Church. There she made hundreds or pies to sell at the fundraiser planned teas and white elephant sales.

In 2005 she moved to Victoria to be closer to family. She left Cloverdale with sadness, as she lived there for 52 years. The house and garden became much for her as Lenord was unable to assist anymore.

Kitty was in good health but suffered from Alzheimers. She was on her own up till 3 years ago. She was made of tough Saskatchewan stuff.

Kitty leaves us to be with her family and we know that you are happy.

By Mom. Love ya.

Kathleen Thomas        Nov 1, 1926 – Nov 14, 2021