Marion Estuace "Tom" Thomas

1911 - 1988  (76 years)

• Name	Marion Estuace "Tom" Thomas
  Birth	11 Sep 1911	Lincoln, Logan Co., IL
  Gender	Male
  Death	27 Apr 1988	Portland, Multnomah Co.,OR; bur: Forest View Cem., ForestGrove,WashingtonCo.,OR
  Person ID	I8392	forneyclark
  Last Modified	10 Jun 2026

  
  

  Family 1	Mary Evelyn Schwartz,   b. 25 Jan 1911, near Rolla, Phelps Co., MO d. 13 Jun 1948, Gardena, L.A. Co., CA; burial: Inglewood Park Cem., L.A. Co., CA (Age 37 years)
  Marriage	21 Oct 1935	Springfield, Sangamon Co., IL
  Family ID	F3347	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	10 Jun 2026

  
  

  Family 2	Jennie Viola "Vi" Morton,   b. 15 Oct 1916, Union Twp., Davis Co., IA d. 1 Jan 1961, Hillsboro, Washington Co.,OR; bur: Forest View Cem.,ForestGrove,WashingtonCo.,OR (Age 44 years)
  Marriage	1951	WA
  Family ID	F3348	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	10 Jun 2026

  
  

• Notes

  ******** Source: SEE LOIS E. BRANCH'S SITE FOR COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND REFERENCES: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=loisebranch&id=I00714 [SOME TEXT OMITTED; FOR COMPLETE TEXT, SEE LOIS E. BRANCH'S SITE ABOVE.] The Branch Ranch - A Roundup of Our Ancestors: Lois E. Branch: ID: I00714 Name: Marion Estuace "Tom" Thomas Sex: M Birth: 11 SEP 1911 in Lincoln, Logan Co. IL. Death: 27 APR 1988 in Portland, Multnomah Co. OR. Event: 2nd marriage Jennie Viola (Morton) Barkley, no children Burial: Forest View Cemetery, Forest Grove, Washington Co. OR Event: AKA (Facts Pg) Tom and Estuace Occupation: Machinist Note: Note from Cunningham Home for Children dated 7/19/2007: Lois, I just came back from looking at the record book and the information is very limited but may answer some of your questions. Since you have the basic information from the census and your uncle and father are both deceased, I will just tell you everything we have about them and their time at Cunningham. Eustace Thomas, born 9/11/1911 and Donald Thomas, born March 28, 1914 were placed at Cunningham on September 26, 1919 by their father, Earl Thomas of Lincoln, Illinois. The notes as to why the children were placed at Cunningham say " death of own mother, deserted by step mother" -- these notes are hard to read but that's what I think it says. Under mother's name it says Jessie Thomas. The boys were both discharged to their father on July 7, 1923. 1920 Census, Urbana Twp., Champaign Co. IL Cunningham's Children's Home, Urbana City January 17, 1920 Enumeration District 44 Sheet 8 B Eustace Thomas inmate age 8, born IL Donald Thomas inmate age 5, born IL 1930 Census, Indian Creek, Menard Co. IL #103: Thomas, Earl 41 IL Parents b. IL Farm Laborer Sarah 40 IL Parents b. IL Wife #106: Living in the Wm. A. Goetting household and working as a farm laborer is Estuace Thomas 18 IL Lodger Parents born IL #71: Living in the Thomas Rogers household and working as a farm laborer is Donald Thomas 17 IL Lodger Parents born IL Last Will and Testament: KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, MARION E. THOMAS, a resident of Lane County, Oregon, of lawful age and of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament in the manner following: FIRST: I direct that my just debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon as convenient after my decease. I direct my personal representative to treat as an obligation of my estate and to pay without any apportionment thereof all estate, inheritance or death taxes or duties imposed and made payable by reason of my death by the laws of the United States or any state, territory or country; and if any other persons shall pay any shch tax, my personal representative shall reimburse such person. SECOND: I give unto my daughter, Lois Camp, all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real, personal and mixed and wheresoever situate, to be hers absolutely and forever. THIRD: If, however, my daughter should predecease me, I give all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real, personal and mixed and wheresoever situate, to my daughter's children, equally and share and share alike. FOURTH: I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my daughter, Lois Camp, as personal representative of my estate under this, my Last Will and Testament, and I direct that no bond or other undertaking be required of her as such personal representative. FIFTH: I hereby empower my personal representative to lease, sell..... SIXTH: I hereby revoke all former wills and codicils made by me. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 6 day of June, 1986 Signed MARION E. THOMAS Witnesses: Cheryl Newhouse, residing at Eugene, Oregon Jack A. Gardner, residing at Eugene Tombstone reads: Beloved Father MARION E. THOMAS Sept. 11, 1911 - Apr. 27, 1988 Marion E. Thomas, was called Estuace while living in Illinois or Marion. When he moved to the west coast they called him Tom. [TEXT OMITTED] Tom lived in Indian Creek, Menard County, Illinois with Joseph W. and Della Dawson. He thought of them fondly through the years and told many stories of living with them. They had daughters Dorothy and Lois. Lois thought I was named after her, but I was actually named after Lois, wife of Fred Burnett of Springfield, Illinois. Tom worked as a farm hand in his early years and later became a top notch machinist. Tom and Mary moved to CA. where Tom worked at "The Examiner" and later at National Supply during the war. They became good friends of Frenchie and Bobbie LaVitte and lived in their trailor court in Gardena, CA. After the death of Mary, Tom left me, his daughter Lois Earline Thomas, with the LaVitte family while he worked. Later that year in the dead of winter Dad and I moved to Oregon, settling in the Forest Grove area. We stayed for a while with Aunt Jessie and later with Uncle Johnnie's folks, the Speakes. Dad married Jennie Viola (Morton) Barkley, widow of Ralph Wallace Barkley, who had 3 children: Darlene Lou, Ralph George, and Roderick Keith. Vi died 1 Jan 1961 in a car accident just outside Vernonia, Columbia Co. OR. near where they owned a farm. After Vi's death, Dad moved to Eugene, Lane Co. Or. where he bought an apartment complex at 585 E. 19th. He later sold the complex and bought a home at 1655 Norkenzie Road in Eugene and lived with Carol Barnett (no marriage). Dad left Eugene and moved to Portland, Or. where he lived with me till his death from lung cancer and heart failure. His favorite hobby was standing on the river bank catching fish. He and I spent many hours enjoying the great outdoors and each other on the McKenzie River and Dorena Lake. Dad passed away the morning of 27 April 1988 at the Portland Adventist Hospital with me at his side. He was the biggest influence in my life and I surely do miss him....Notes by Lois E. Thomas 1999, Portland, Or. [TEXT OMITTED] OBIT: The Oregonian Portland, Oregon Wednesday, May 4, 1988 Marion E. Thomas Private graveside service was held in Forest View Cemetery, Forest Grove, for Marion Estuace Thomas, a Southeast Portland resident who died Wednesday in a Portland hspital. He was 76. Mr. Thomas was born and raised in Lincoln, Ill. He worked as a machinist for National Supply in Los Angeles and helped make the prototype bombsights for the first B-52 bombers. In 1948 he moved to Fores Grove and worked as a delivery manager for the Oregon Journal from 1951 until 1962. He moved to Eugene in 1963 and to Portland in 1986. He was a member of the Forest Grove Elks Lodge and the Machinists Union. Mr. Thomas is survived by his daughter, Lois E. Camp of Portland; a brother, Raymond Thomas of Lincoln, Ill.; a sister, Jessie Kloppeborg of Hemet, Calif.; a stepson, Roderick Barkley of Hillsboro; and six grandchildren. The family suggests that remembrances be contributions to the Mt. Hood Hospice Association. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When the Mars Exploration Rover-2003 Mission goes to Mars to explore the planet's surface in search of geologic evidence of Mars' past, a compact disc containing many names including Marion E. Thomas. His certificate # is 2167465. His name was added to the list along with other family members by his daughter, Lois Earline (Thomas) Branch on January 1, 2002. Father: Earl Logan Thomas b: 14 OCT 1889 in IL (Death cert. says born 14 oct 1887) Mother: Jessie Ellen Phillips b: 25 JAN 1888 in Logan Co. IL. Marriage 1 Mary Evelyn Schwartz b: 25 JAN 1911 in Near Rolla, Phelps Co. MO. Married: 21 OCT 1935 in Springfield, Sangamon Co. IL ********