Lawrence Thomas

Lawrence Franklin “Larry” Thomas, 79, a resident of Davenport, Iowa died on Sunday, July 22, 2012 at his home following a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services to celebrate his life will be held at 12:00 P.M. on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Chapel in Bettendorf.  He will be laid to rest at Mt. Union Cemetery in rural Scott County where military honors will be conducted.  Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Thusday at the funeral home.  Memorials may be made to the Disabled American Veterans or the Iowa Hospice.

He was born on May 7, 1933 in Centerville, Iowa, the son of Joseph Franklin & Alpharetta May (Fisher) Thomas.  On January 9, 1965, he was united in marriage to Lorena L. Otto in Davenport.

During the Korean Conflict, Larry served as a Corpsman in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in 1957.

He retired on June 1, 1988 from the J. I. Case Company in Rock Island, Illinois after 23 years of service as a layout inspector and in management.

In his spare time, he enjoyed playing golf, bowling, fishing, camping and hunting.  His beloved family was the joy of his life and although they will miss him, the wonderful memories he created for them will live forever.

Those left to honor his memory include his beloved wife, Lorena; his daughters, Marsha (Thomas) Diercks of Donahue, Iowa and Barbara (Thomas) Phelps of Davenport; his sons, Russell (Kelley) Thomas of Blue Grass, Iowa and Darrell (Stephanie) Thomas of Bettendorf; fourteen grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his sister, Virginia Cornett of Centerville, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his sisters, Lila Lee (Larry’s twin), Gussie, Marie, Maureen, Charlotte, Lenora, June & Mildred; and his brothers, Floyd, Lloyd & Edward.