William Harry Thomas Sr., 80, of Nampa, Idaho died Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at St. Luke's Hospital in Meridian. Dad was born November 27, 1942, in Weldona, Colorado to Wallace and Frieda (Kitzmann) Thomas, the 4th of 9 children. His family moved from Colorado to Caldwell, Idaho where the family lived in a tent up by Canyon Hill. Then his dad got a job on the railroad in Alaska for a year. Finally moving back to Idaho on his uncle Raymond's property in a tent house in Apple Valley in Parma, Idaho. Later building their own dairy farm in Apple Valley. In 1961, dad graduated from Parma High School. Work for dad included working on the family dairy farm, working the fields with his mom and siblings. Also, in Bob Pearcy's orchards and a general farmhand. He started technical school, but the school closed before he finished. He later worked for Kit's as a welder and then joined the national guard in 1963. Dad met the love of his life, Patricia Mellhollin, through his sister Lucille and her uncle Bill, either in an onion field or playing hide and seek, then while doing dishes together. Dad did his military training in Fort Lewis, near Tacoma, Washington. At the time Patricia was working in a children's home in Portland, Oregon. Dad would visit quite often courting Patricia. It was there in Portland that dad proposed to mom. When he finished basic training, they both moved back to Parma and were married on September 10, 1964. Dad continued working for Bob Pearcy, and on his parents' farm. He later worked a campaign at the Nyssa sugar factory. Later he began working for Everett Simpson as a welder and apprentice blacksmith. Simpson's was bought out by Isom and he continued to work as a welder, blacksmith, and an all-around metal worker. It was at Isom's that he taught his children the value of work through shared family projects for the boss. He also worked part time for Dave Gering, eventually retiring from Isom's and working full-time for Dave where they made processing machines for vegetables. Mom and dad lived in Arena Valley, southwest of Roswell, Idaho then later to an apartment on Joliet Street in Caldwell, finally moving to Nampa on 1/4 acre where most of the backyard was a garden, their mini farm. Dad welcomed five sons before his two daughters and then two more sons. Dad joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1975. There he made lifelong friends and served in church callings. He loved the callings of teaching the nursery, sunbeams, and 5-year-olds the gospel of Jesus Christ. He also served as a Webelos leader and Boy Scout leader. He enjoyed all of it! When dad retired, he filled his time doing odd jobs around the neighborhood and helping his kids when we asked, or sometimes when we didn't, and he saw a need. He helped us fix our cars when they broke, build fences and buildings, made tools for our Dutch ovens, and even helped John train horses. He enjoyed time with his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. He was always actively involved with all of us. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and creating. He was truly a jack of all trades. He is loved by many and is already dearly missed. He was preceded in death by both of his parents; his sisters: Lucille Bolin, Louise Curtis, Loretta Williams; and one son, Timothy. Surviving is his wife, Patricia; three brothers and two sisters: Marvin, Barbara, Jerry (Mary), Debbie Simpson, and JR (Carolyn); six sons and two daughters: Bill (Cat), John (Shelly), Joe (Cari), Patrick (Lucy), Tye (Joy), Treshia (Tyler) Thueson, Frieda (Robert) Johnson, and David (Kodie); 32 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Grandkids: Neil, Jessie, Michael, Misti, Nicole, Matthew, Aureona, Robert, Savannah, Sierra, Patrick II, Meesha, Trevor, Tristan, Kasandra, (Joy's 7), Sariah, Jessica, Deidre, Thomas, Dominic, Victor, Wallace, Gauge, Amea, & Brixten. Great-grandkids: Serenity, Elena, Saya, Cayleb, Rylee, Jocelyn, Bryce, Seth, Wesley, Brook, Caden, Toby, Jaxon, Lily, Sean, Miya, (Patrick's), Eric, Blake, Abel, Klynn, (Tye's 6)
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