Edith M. Thomas, 77, died Monday, July 11, 1994 at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. She was born on March 17, 1917 in Ellensburg, the youngest of three children born to Benjamin Franklin and Nora Estella (Wyatt) Ferguson.
By horseback she attended Dysart, or No. 5 school. After her education, she helped her family on the ranch, breaking, and riding young horses, caught from the herd of wild horses that they owned. In 1920, Mrs. Thomas assisted in establishing the first rodeo held in the Kittitas Valley at the Ferguson Ranch. Also the Ferguson’s supplied some of the bucking stock for the first annual Ellensburg Rodeo on Labor Day weekend, in 1923. Mrs. Thomas never missed a rodeo.
She and the late James Harvey Thomas were married on December 22, 1936 in Ellensburg. Since her husband’s death in 1977, Mrs. Thomas has run the family’s 160 acre ranch by herself. She was a member of the Cattleman’s Association, Eastern Star and Midstate Coop.
She is survived by her daughters, Sandra Thomas and Kay Powers both of Ellensburg; 5 grandchildren; 1 great grandchild; and sister, Gwendolyn Cooke of Ellensburg.
Services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 16, 1994 at Steward & Williams Chapel in Ellensburg concluding service and burial will follow at IOOF Cemetery. Viewing will be held at Steward & Williams on Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Following the committal service, a luncheon will be held at Mrs. Thomas home.
Contributed by: Shelli Steedman
