Richard Emery Thomas1 
M, #4892, b. Dec 12, 1929, d. Dec 8, 2020
| Father* | Emery Everett Thomas1 b. Feb 17, 1902, d. Jul 12, 1951 |
| Mother* | Zera May Bean1 b. Dec 27, 1900, d. Sep 10, 1992 |
Family | Blythe Anne Jamieson b. Jul 25, 1933, d. Nov 29, 2014 | |
Chronological Events | ||
| Birth* | Dec 12, 1929 | Richard Emery Thomas was born on Dec 12, 1929 at Laconia, Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States .1,2 |
| He was the son of Emery Everett Thomas and Zera May Bean.1 | ||
| Marriage* | Jun 14, 1952 | Richard Emery Thomas married Blythe Anne Jamieson, daughter of Stewart Payton Jamieson and Goldie Mae Morse, on Jun 14, 1952 at Randolph, Orange County, Vermont, United States.1 |
| Death* | Dec 8, 2020 | Richard Emery Thomas died on Dec 8, 2020, at age 90 at Edmond, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States.2 |
| Burial* | Dec 14, 2020 | He was buried on Dec 14, 2020 at Bayside Cemetery, Laconia, Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States, Find A Grave Memorial# 219736584.3 |
| Obituary | Dec 23, 2020 | OBITUARY: Richard Emery Thomas of Edmond, Oklahoma left this life Tuesday, December 8, 2020, shortly before his 91st birthday. Richard, Dick to friends and colleagues, was born December 12, 1929 in Laconia, NH to Everett E. and Zera M. Bean Thomas. His early years were spent growing up on a New England farm near the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He attended school at Tilton/Northfield, where he was a star forward on the basketball team. Dick graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. and M.S in agronomy/soil science. During his time at UNH, Dick was introduced to best friend Don Jamieson’s younger sister Blythe. “We dated that first week and fell head over heels in love.” Dick and Blythe were married on June 14, 1952, beginning a 62 year adventure that included living in or traveling to all 50 states and visiting numerous countries around the world before settling in Edmond, OK. Richard’s career for the federal government included assignments at the Robert A. Taft Water Research Center in Cincinnati, OH and the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center in Ada, OK. He finished his career with the EPA in Washington DC as a program scientist and program director. His love of the land, coupled with his desire to leave the world a better place led to international recognition. He was proud of his work on the Muskegon pilot project, a water resource recovery system so massive it has been seen from space. Two of Dick’s favorite memories were his assignments to India and then Israel as an advisor for water treatment projects. While in Ada, he received the Bronze Medal for Commendable Service in recognition of sustained dedication to the advancement of scientific knowledge in soil treatment technology and for personal achievement and contributions in the field. Upon retirement he received the Distinguished Career Award in recognition of significant contributions made to the understanding of land treatment of wastewater, wastewater reuse and groundwater protection. Dick is recognized by Who’s Who for his numerous publications and contributions to improve land treatment of municipal wastewater. As he would later tell his grandchildren, he invented “purple pipes”. Dick and Blythe split their retirement between New Hampshire and Florida. In retirement his love for the planet led to designing a small dam project at the lake to help control water levels. Another favorite project each spring was setting his loon raft, to provide a proper nesting environment at the NH lake. In his later years, happy hours were spent researching his family genealogy. But his happiest times were spent with his grandchildren, whether it was teaching them to water ski, fish, hiking mountain trails, or sharing stories and thoughts on life. Dick was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Blythe. He is survived by daughter Karen Hecker and husband Bill, son Douglas Thomas and wife Pat, daughter Kathy Sikes and husband Mark, and son Jeff Thomas, brother Earl Thomas, seven grandchildren, one great grandchild, brother-in-law Bill Jamieson, nieces, nephews, and many friends who were touched by his boundless love, wonderful smile, great intelligence, and fatherly support. Recently when asked to describe his life in one word, he answered, “Fulfilled.” He spent his life dedicated to enriching the lives of those around him. He is much loved and will be greatly missed by all. Dick will be laid to rest next to Blythe at Bayside Cemetery in New Hampshire next summer. The family invites you to share a favorite memory in the visitor’s book. Please send donations to the Alzheimer's Association or Susan G. Komen in lieu of flowers. Published online The Laconia Daily Times.4 |