E. CAROLINE THOMAS

E. Caroline Campbell Thomas, 88, and a long time Oak Harbor resident, lost her battle with cancer December 3, 2008.

Mrs. Thomas is survived by her three daughters, (Mary Noel Chavez of Oak Park, Illinois, Claire Parz of New York, New York, and Gina Roen of San Marcos, California), as well as five grandchildren (Mark Chavez, Randy Parz, Callie Gambino, Senior Airman Kelly Rilling and Patrick Roen) and two great grandchildren (Owen and Caitlin Parz), and a niece Helen Jo Crawford and nephew Doak Campbell III.

Caroline Thomas devoted her life to raising her three daughters and promoting education through classroom teaching, for the military and community colleges, and as an elementary school librarian. Throughout her long teaching and library career Mrs. Thomas touched thousands of lives with her gifts of music and storytelling. She was uniquely able to find the right element in her teaching and personal relationships that allowed the best of each person to emerge.

Daughter of educators Dr. Doak Sheridan Campbell and Helen Gray Smith, Mrs. Thomas was born November 12, 1920 in Conway, Arkansas. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri before her marriage to Donald Broermann in 1940. Mrs. Thomas later earned her teaching credential from Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg, Missouri, and a Master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Colorado.

A voracious fiction and non-fiction reader, Mrs. Thomas pursued a wide variety of interests including creative writing, silversmithing and lapidary work, dancing, and playing the organ. Since arriving in Oak Harbor more than 25 years ago, Mrs. Thomas was active in her community in many ways. Caroline was a member of the local Ham Radio Club and Rock Club, the CERT team as a licensed ham radio operator, and with the Oak Harbor Citizens on Patrol Service (COPS). A student of American history, she traced her family history and became an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, serving as local chapter Chaplain. For several years, she volunteered with the Criminal rehabilitation program where she supervised prison inmates in correspondence courses.

The family wishes to thank the following groups and individuals for their support: her neighbors and friends in Oak Harbor, Skagit Valley Cancer Center, Home Health and Hospice of Whidbey Hospital, and Island Home Nursing.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution (1776 â€" D St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20006-5303), Friends of the Oak Harbor Library (1000 Regatta, Oak Harbor, WA 98277), Senior Services of Island County (14594 SR 525, Langley, WA 98260), Oak Harbor Senior Center (51 SE Jerome St., Oak Harbor, WA 98277) Skagit Valley Hospital Regional Cancer Care Center (Attn: Skagit Valley Hospital Foundation, 1415 E. Kincaid St., Mount Vernon, WA 98274) or Home Health Care and Hospice of Whidbey General Hospital (101 N. Main St., Coupeville, WA 98239).

Caroline requested that we celebrate her life with a Scottish Ceilidh; this memorial ceilidh in her honor will take place Sunday, December 7, 2008, 5:00 p.m. at Whidbey Memorial Chapel, 746 NE Midway Blvd. Family and friends are encouraged to sign the online guest register by going to www.whidbeymemorial.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Caroline Thomas (Campbell), please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.