Harold Arthur Thomas Sr.

Harold “Hal” Arthur Thomas Sr., 91 of Allyn Washington, died on August 29, 2017 in the Memory Care Unit of Park Vista Retirement and Assisted Living Community in Port Orchard, WA. Harold was born on June 27th, 1926 to Grant and Elizabeth Thomas, in Hoquiam WA. He attended school in Pacific Beach and Moclips and graduated from Montesano High School in 1944. He was active in sports and played trumpet in the band. After serving in the Navy during WWII from 1944 – 1946, he worked in Grays Harbor at the pulp mill and as a logger until 1949. On August 28, 1948 he married Helen LaRue Lawson, also from Montesano, WA. He returned to active duty in the Navy and served in the Korean War from 1950 – 1951. Harold and Helen moved to Bellingham, WA where he graduated with a degree in Education in 1953; and later earned his MA in Education Administration from the University of Washington. The Highline School District hired him that same year and Mr. Thomas worked for the District until his retirement in 1983. He worked in McMicken Heights Elementary, and in Olympic, Chinook, Glendale, and Pacific Jr. High Schools as teacher, counselor, vice principal, and principal. In retirement, Harold and Helen moved to the Lakeland Village golf community in Allyn WA, and enjoyed volunteer work, golfing, traveling south in their RV for the winter, and boating in the San Juan Islands and Canada. Surviving are: Daughter Patricia (Hugh) Burleson of Lopez Island WA; sons Harold Thomas Jr. (Debra) of Ollala WA, and Ronald Thomas (Peggy Canedy) of Redmond, WA; 5 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild. Wife Helen (Lawson) Thomas, brothers Grant B. Thomas Jr. and Bernard Thomas all preceded him in death. Our father, grandfather, great-grandfather was deeply committed to a lifetime of service, from his time in the Navy to providing the best education possible to his students, and always doing volunteer work in his local community. He lived a good life, a long life, and we miss him dearly. Memorial Service and interment of ashes will be held at North Mason United Methodist Church, 25140 NE State Rte 3, Belfair WA, on Saturday, September 16th, at 2:00 in the afternoon. Memorial Donations may be made to Wounded Warriors Project, https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/