Elaine Thomas

** VIDEO TRIBUTE CAN BE VIEWED BY CLICKING WEBLINK ABOVE (COMPUTERS ONLY)   ** Elaine E. Thomas, age 84 of Belle Fourche, died Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at her home surrounded by her loving family. The funeral service will be held 1pm Monday, November 2nd at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Belle Fourche. Visitation will take place 4 to 6 pm Sunday at Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will take place in the Mount Pisgah Cemetery in Gillette WY, beginning with a chapel service at 1pm Tuesday November 3rd. Memorials are preferred to the Council of Community Services at 114 4-J Road; Gillette WY 82716. Elaine Evelyn Knigge was born August 2, 1931 to John and Alice (Stone) Knigge in rural South Dakota, near Wessington Springs. She attended country schools in Aurora and Jerauld counties and high school and college in Wessington Springs and Scottsbluff, NE. Following her education, she went on to teach for ten years. In 1949 Elaine met Joe Thomas. They were later married in 1951. To this union two daughters and a son were born: Pamela, Crystal, and Randy. The family lived in rural White Lake SD, Kimball NE, Collbran CO, and in Gillette WY for 30 years. While in Gillette, Elaine worked for the State Employment Services for 27 years. She also was co-owner of the Quality Dress Shop for 3 years. She volunteered as secretary for the Council of Community Services for many years and they honored Elaine by placing her name on their new building. She was very proud and thankful for this honor. In 1993 Joe and Elaine retired to Carlile WY, where they purchased a small ranch. They both worked very hard and enjoyed life there for 12 years. They raised horses and llamas and enjoyed the wild turkeys, deer, several barn cats and the two dogs. Due to health reasons, they moved to Belle Fourche SD in 2005. Elaine was a member of the First Baptist Church in Gillette and she and Joe attended the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Belle Fourche. Elaine is survived by her husband, Joe of Belle Fourche; daughters, Pamela Thomas of Sturgis, Crystal (Roger) Meadows of Gillette WY; son, Randy (Yan) Thomas of Midland TX; 2 granddaughters, Jamie (Tony) Sinks and Joanna Elaine Thomas; 4 grandsons, Jonathan and Christopher Thomas, Adrian Tarter and Robert Thomas; 2 great grandsons, Abel and Marshall; 1 great granddaughter, Bailey; sisters, Deana (Rod) Dilley of Watertown, Donna (Les) Naser of Papillion NE; seven sisters-in-law, Marlys and Ruth Thomas, Alice, Sandy, Mary, Kay, and Donna Knigge; and many nieces and nephews, relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; 6 brothers, Curtis, Gordon, Wayne, Melvin, Rolland, and Lyle “Buzz”, and one sister, Lois. Date and Place of Birth August 2, 1931 – Wessington Springs, SD   Date and Place of Death October 28, 2015 – Belle Fourche, SD             Funeral Service 1:00 P.M. – Monday – November 2nd, 2015 First Congregational United Church of Christ Belle Fourche   Officiant Pastor Del Neumeister   Music “The Lord’s Prayer”, Marilyn Hespe, soloist Hymns:  “The Old Rugged Cross”, “Amazing Grace” Lanelle Cundall, organist   Casketbearers Roger Meadows                                                Chris Thomas Tony Sinks                                                           John Thomas Adrian Tarter        Randy Thomas        Robert Thomas   Interment Mt. Pisgah Cemetery Gillette, Wyoming