Obituary for Lela G. Thomas
Lela Grace Thomas, 94, of Indiana, PA, went home peacefully to be with her Lord and Savior on
Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at Beacon Ridge nursing facility, while in prayer with her friend,
Elga.
Born on March 20, 1929, in Smithsburg, MD, she was the daughter of Rev. J. Irvin and Helen
Oellig Thomas, and sister of the late Margaret T. Sisson, with whom she had an extremely close
relationship.
Lela had a passion for writing poetry mainly about her faith in God, putting many of her poems
into print. She was a warm, loving, sweet woman of deep faith who intensely loved her family,
friends and a particular cat named Kasey, who predeceased her. She was a prayer warrior who
was part of her church’s prayer chain. Many friends and family would call on Lela for personal
prayers.
Lela grew up in her father’s church, the Welty Church of the Brethren. She later had
memberships in several different congregations including her father’s second pastorate, The
Purchase Line Church of the Brethren and ending with her most current membership at Grace Church, where she attended every Sunday, being picked up by her kind friend, Sharon.
Lela worked all of her life, even part time into her 80’s. As a young girl out of high school, she
worked in a nursing home in Huntsdale, PA. She had many fond memories of her full-time job of
25 years with the PNC Bank.
After retiring from the bank, Lela had several part time jobs working at the Social Security Office and at the YMCA with the program called Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She loved all of her coworkers and often spoke
lovingly about them. She made fast friends with most people she met. She loved the servers at
the local restaurants she visited and always had hugs for them. Lela was a big hugger. People
loved being around her.
Surviving are her daughter, Terri Young (and husband, John), her beloved nieces Molly J.
Ressler and Julie A. March (and husband, Timothy), Nephew, Jeffrey T. Haldeman (and wife,
Margaret), and 7 great nieces and nephews, and 11 great, great nieces and nephews.
Among her special friends were Malinda, Ruth, Pastor Kathy, Kathy J. and Ilga, plus all of the many
friends she made who worked at Beacon Ridge. They all loved her and she made it a point to
visit many of them everyday on her walks around the facility. She will be sorely missed.
There will be a memorial service announced at a later date. Ashes with be buried in a private
ceremony with family.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at Beacon Ridge nursing facility, while in prayer with her friend,
Elga.
Born on March 20, 1929, in Smithsburg, MD, she was the daughter of Rev. J. Irvin and Helen
Oellig Thomas, and sister of the late Margaret T. Sisson, with whom she had an extremely close
relationship.
Lela had a passion for writing poetry mainly about her faith in God, putting many of her poems
into print. She was a warm, loving, sweet woman of deep faith who intensely loved her family,
friends and a particular cat named Kasey, who predeceased her. She was a prayer warrior who
was part of her church’s prayer chain. Many friends and family would call on Lela for personal
prayers.
Lela grew up in her father’s church, the Welty Church of the Brethren. She later had
memberships in several different congregations including her father’s second pastorate, The
Purchase Line Church of the Brethren and ending with her most current membership at Grace Church, where she attended every Sunday, being picked up by her kind friend, Sharon.
Lela worked all of her life, even part time into her 80’s. As a young girl out of high school, she
worked in a nursing home in Huntsdale, PA. She had many fond memories of her full-time job of
25 years with the PNC Bank.
After retiring from the bank, Lela had several part time jobs working at the Social Security Office and at the YMCA with the program called Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She loved all of her coworkers and often spoke
lovingly about them. She made fast friends with most people she met. She loved the servers at
the local restaurants she visited and always had hugs for them. Lela was a big hugger. People
loved being around her.
Surviving are her daughter, Terri Young (and husband, John), her beloved nieces Molly J.
Ressler and Julie A. March (and husband, Timothy), Nephew, Jeffrey T. Haldeman (and wife,
Margaret), and 7 great nieces and nephews, and 11 great, great nieces and nephews.
Among her special friends were Malinda, Ruth, Pastor Kathy, Kathy J. and Ilga, plus all of the many
friends she made who worked at Beacon Ridge. They all loved her and she made it a point to
visit many of them everyday on her walks around the facility. She will be sorely missed.
There will be a memorial service announced at a later date. Ashes with be buried in a private
ceremony with family.