Frances Thomas

Frances Jane Dunton was born Dec 29th, 1926 in Norfolk, VA to Leon Powell Dunton and

Ruth Juanita Walker. She had an older brother, Tommy, an older sister Ivy, and 2 younger

sisters, Ruthie and Sarah.  Her father worked for various shipping lines and was a

Merchant Marine. They moved to Massachusetts near Boston for a time when she was young.

She loved playing in the woods and parks near Medford with her brother and sisters. The

family then moved to Brooklyn Park, MD, and she attended Glen Burnie High School,

graduating in 1944.  While in Brooklyn Park, her father rose from Chief Engineer to

Commander in the Merchant Marines, and during WWII he was often gone for long stretches

of time on dangerous voyages. In peacetime, Frances loved the souvenirs that her father

would bring back from his trips around the world. She reminisced about one year when the

family kept the Christmas tree up until February so their father could see it when he

returned from his travels. A fond memory she often told was when her father had to go to

New York during the war. He promised her he would take her if she laundered his uniforms.

She did and went on the trip to New York with him by train. The train was crowded with

servicemen, and she spent the trip talking to a group of admiring sailors and soldiers.

After a brief stint at nursing, she also worked at Avis Truck Rental and Truck Equipment

in Baltimore. While the family was living in North Carolina, she worked at the local

school, kept house, and sometimes worked in cotton and tobacco fields, all while raising

a large family.

She and her late husband Charles Thomas enjoyed traveling and spending time with

family. They traveled to the Holy Land together, as well as the Canadian Maritime

provinces, and drove across the country with another couple. The family enjoyed vacations

at the beach and crabbing, and family gatherings at holidays. She was active in the

General Federation of Women's Clubs and traveled to many cities in the US for

conventions, making many new friends and memories. She was an avid reader, enjoyed

genealogy, and had a ready smile. Frances was a member of Linthicum Baptist Church since

the 1960's and was well loved by family, friends and everyone she met.

Frances had 8 children who survive her. Albert Anderson, Richard Anderson, Ed

Thomas and wife Kathy, Steve Thomas and wife Sharon, Charlene Scruggs, Judy Bisesi, Terri

Brooks and husband Richard, and Charles Thomas and wife Judy, plus numerous grandchildren

and great-grandchildren, as well as sister Sarah Tate.