Nuel Thomas

Thornfield, MO

Nuel Dean Thomas left his life on earth to move on to his heavenly home on March 14, 2011 at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

Nuel was born February 25, 1931 at Grabeel, Missouri to Jasper David and Faye Nova (Piland) Thomas. He attended elementary school at Grabeel School and graduated Gainesville High School in 1947 at the age of 16.
Nuel and Fae Piland were married August 4, 1951 at Mountain Home, Arkansas. To this union three children were born, Darrel Dean Thomas of Monett, Missouri, Anita Donley of Thornfield, Missouri, and Treva Warrick of Gainesville, Missouri.

Nuel accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized at Mt. Lebanon in 1949. He was a member of the Romance General Baptist Church at Romance Missouri. Nuel and Fae loved to sing gospel songs and traveled to many churches to sing. Nuel played his guitar for congregational singing at Romance Church.

His many hobbies included playing baseball on Sunday afternoons with area teams. The summer Sunday's were spent at church on Sunday morning and then off to play baseball in the afternoon. Nuel loved to play sports as well as watch the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids play basketball and baseball. Weekends nights were often spent with neighbors playing music and visiting. Nuel and Fae loved to attend the bluegrass festivals in their camper where they would join a large group of bluegrass playing friends. If there was a jam session, he would stay until there was no one left to play. He always looked forward to the Tuesday evening jam sessions in Gainesville.

He also loved fishing and was always the one on the creek bank with the stringer full of white bass. Nuel would love to spend the day fishing with friends or grandsons, and nevertired of it.
Nuel provided for his family farming and hauling milk. He started running a can milk route at the age of
17. He later changed to a bulk milk route which he operated until he retired from it at age 62. Nuel would haul milk during the day, and come home to help Fae with the milk cows, hogs, and the haying.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, Rayford Thomas, and an infant brother, Harding Thomas.

Nuel is survived by his wife, Fae of Thornfield. Three children, Darrel Dean Thomas of Monett, Missouri,
Anita Donley of Thornfield, Missouri, and Treva Warrick of Gainesville, Missouri. Seven grandchildren,
Heath, Annette, Jerry, Joe, Kathy, Erin and Clay. Fourteen great-grandchildren and two sisters, Naomi
(Floy) Gregg of New London, Texas and Veda Bingham of Seymour Missouri.

Services for Nuel be held March 17th at 2:00 p.m. at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Ava, Missouri.
Visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m. until service time. Burial will be at the Thornfield Cemetery. Services
conducted by Rev. Tom Johnson and Rev. James J. Kyle. Serving as pallbearers will be grandsons Heath
Thomas, Jerry Donley, Joe Donley, Eric Bearden, Travis McBride, and Clay Warrick.