Jean Thomas

Our adorable and beloved lady has gone on a new adventure and is having a glorious reunion with many loving family members and dear friends. She is the youngest of eight children of Frank William and Ruth McQuarrie Penrose. They all had a very happy childhood, living on 9th East in Salt Lake City. All eight attended the old Webster school on 8th East, and Bryant Jr. High. Jean walked to West High School where she was president of the West High Associated Girls. She attended the U of U and fulfilled her Physical Education credits by taking fencing and horseback riding. She met her husband, Martin Duane Thomas, while attending the U. They both walked up the hill to classes and sat by each other in Sunday School. They have been best friends for more than 60 years. Both graduated from the U and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Jean taught elementary at the old Franklin School on 2nd South in SLC, taking a break of 20 years to be home with her own children. When she returned to teaching, she taught special education, called ?learning adjustment? for young children with physical and emotional challenges, in Davis County elementary schools ? Tolman, Stoker, and J. A. Taylor. Teaching was very rewarding and she made many lifelong friends among co-workers and students. Jean and Martin have served their community and church well and enjoyed all the callings they held in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They consider it an honor to be parents and very much appreciate their posterity. All their posterity recognize the choice blessings of belonging to them! Jean is survived by her husband, five children and in-laws ? Shelley Ann and Melvin Stanley of Clinton, Jeffrey Duane and Wendy Newsome Thomas of North Salt Lake, Samuel Penrose and Linda Cortese Thomas of Peterson, Misty Jeanne and Zan Larsen of Bountiful, David Matthew Thomas of Bountiful, and her 91 year-old sister, Ann Leighty. Two brothers and four sisters preceded her in death. Jean and Martin have seventeen grandchildren the youngest is serving an LDS mission in France, eighteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Jean has many loving nieces and nephews and she is also survived by her much-loved Bountiful Orchard Stake family and Orchard 7th Ward family. Jean is a gentle woman of great faith and charity. She sees beauty and humor in everything, and the influence of her positive attitude and outlook will remain with us. Everyone who knows her, truly loves her. She passed away at home from lung cancer, and will be greatly missed by those on this side. A celebration of her life will be held on Tuesday, July 3, 2007, 11:00 am, at the Orchard Stake Center, 3599 So. Orchard Drive, Bountiful. Friends may call Monday evening from 6:00 ? 8:00 p.m. at the Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, or Tuesday morning from 9:45 ? 10:45 a.m. prior to services at the church. Interment will be in the Bountiful City Cemetery.