.11 . Emmajocm Thomas Emma Joan Churlonis Thomas, a ‘ . resident ofBainbridge Island for the past six years and of Shelton for 51 years prior to that, died Thursday, October 18. Mrs. Thomas was born on November 10, 1916 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She was the only daughter of Kastantas and Petronia (Ruditis) Churlonis, who had emigrated from Lithuania in 1908. She grew up among the immigrant communities or the New England textile industry in Lawrence and fondly remembered ice skating on the frozen Merrimac River for hours With her father, and summers on the coastal beaches. Following her regular education, she graduated in 1940 from a combined fiveryear Course at Simmons College and Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston with a Bachelor of Science and as a Registered Nurse. In 1941 Peter Bent Hospital, Where she was then working as a surgical nurse, was drafted into the war effort and Emma was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Nursing Corps. She sailed for Europe . in January 1942 with the Harvard unit, known as the Fifth General Hospital. She served in Northern Ireland and England from 1942—44. While stationed in England, she was selected to represent the American nurses at a garden reception given by King George VI and the Princess (soon to be Queen) Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. Following the Allied invasion ofEurope. Emma's unit landed in France within a few day ol'the initial beach assaults on Normandy. Her MASH unit followed the soldiers across France and into Germany. During part ofthis time. while on special assignment to follow General Patton's army with the 16th Field Artillery and 27th Infantry Division, Emma met General Patton While she was the sole person tending to wounded in an abandoned church in the warrtorn French countryside. Discharged in 1946 as a Captain, she was one of the last US Military medical personnel to return from Europe, having stayed to care for wounded until they were able to make the Atlantic crossing. Soon after returning home to the Boston area, She with a fellow nurse from the “Fiflh” set out to drive from Boston to the West Cot . t. Seasoned nurses were in high demand after the war, and soon alter ari‘iung in Shelton, Washington, Emma took a job as a school nurse. While playing badminton one day in Shelton, she met her future husband, Berwyn Brainerd Thomas who was employed as a chemist at the Rayonier Pulp and Paper laboratory. On May 27, 1950 Emma and Berwyn were married in Framingham, Massachusetts. The newlyweds returned to Shelton and settled into their home on the shore of Oakland Bay which was her residence for the next 51 years. Following the birth of her three children, Emma returned to active nursing around 1962, working in the Collier Clinic in Shelton, then as Public Health Nurse for Mason County and finally as the Health Educator and School Nurse in Olympia, Washington until she retired in 1979. She was a long time member of Shelton’s P.E,O. Chapter B, act 'e with the St. David's Episcopal Church, with the Mason General Hospital Auxiliary, and Adopt-a-Pet. She was a regular participant with her family in events of the Shelton Yacht Club and Mason County Historical Soeio . Emma loved to knit, hunt for mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest forests, travel with her family and hikes with her Walkie-Talkie friends. Mrs, Thomas was predeceased by her husband Berwyn (1992}, and is survived by her three children: daughter Patricia Joan Munts (Steven) of Spokane, and sons Nate Thomas (Marguerite) of Bainbi'idge Island, Washington and Michael Thomas (Elizabethl otCovington, Washington, and four granddaughters. A memorial service will be held November 3, 2007, 11:00AM, at Grace Episcopal Church, 8595 Day Road NE, Bainbridge Island, Washington. Remembrances may be made to Mason County AdoptvarPet, 940 E. Jensen Rd, Shelton, WA 98584. 11 Paid Obituary Notice la -z 5— 2m7 l-F , OCR Text: .11 . Emmajocm Thomas Emma Joan Churlonis Thomas, a ‘ . resident ofBainbridge Island for the past six years and of Shelton for 51 years prior to that, died Thursday, October 18. Mrs. Thomas was born on November 10, 1916 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She was the only daughter of Kastantas and Petronia (Ruditis) Churlonis, who had emigrated from Lithuania in 1908. She grew up among the immigrant communities or the New England textile industry in Lawrence and fondly remembered ice skating on the frozen Merrimac River for hours With her father, and summers on the coastal beaches. Following her regular education, she graduated in 1940 from a combined fiveryear Course at Simmons College and Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston with a Bachelor of Science and as a Registered Nurse. In 1941 Peter Bent Hospital, Where she was then working as a surgical nurse, was drafted into the war effort and Emma was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Nursing Corps. She sailed for Europe . in January 1942 with the Harvard unit, known as the Fifth General Hospital. She served in Northern Ireland and England from 1942—44. While stationed in England, she was selected to represent the American nurses at a garden reception given by King George VI and the Princess (soon to be Queen) Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. Following the Allied invasion ofEurope. Emma's unit landed in France within a few day ol'the initial beach assaults on Normandy. Her MASH unit followed the soldiers across France and into Germany. During part ofthis time. while on special assignment to follow General Patton's army with the 16th Field Artillery and 27th Infantry Division, Emma met General Patton While she was the sole person tending to wounded in an abandoned church in the warrtorn French countryside. Discharged in 1946 as a Captain, she was one of the last US Military medical personnel to return from Europe, having stayed to care for wounded until they were able to make the Atlantic crossing. Soon after returning home to the Boston area, She with a fellow nurse from the “Fiflh” set out to drive from Boston to the West Cot . t. Seasoned nurses were in high demand after the war, and soon alter ari‘iung in Shelton, Washington, Emma took a job as a school nurse. While playing badminton one day in Shelton, she met her future husband, Berwyn Brainerd Thomas who was employed as a chemist at the Rayonier Pulp and Paper laboratory. On May 27, 1950 Emma and Berwyn were married in Framingham, Massachusetts. The newlyweds returned to Shelton and settled into their home on the shore of Oakland Bay which was her residence for the next 51 years. Following the birth of her three children, Emma returned to active nursing around 1962, working in the Collier Clinic in Shelton, then as Public Health Nurse for Mason County and finally as the Health Educator and School Nurse in Olympia, Washington until she retired in 1979. She was a long time member of Shelton’s P.E,O. Chapter B, act 'e with the St. David's Episcopal Church, with the Mason General Hospital Auxiliary, and Adopt-a-Pet. She was a regular participant with her family in events of the Shelton Yacht Club and Mason County Historical Soeio . Emma loved to knit, hunt for mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest forests, travel with her family and hikes with her Walkie-Talkie friends. Mrs, Thomas was predeceased by her husband Berwyn (1992}, and is survived by her three children: daughter Patricia Joan Munts (Steven) of Spokane, and sons Nate Thomas (Marguerite) of Bainbi'idge Island, Washington and Michael Thomas (Elizabethl otCovington, Washington, and four granddaughters. A memorial service will be held November 3, 2007, 11:00AM, at Grace Episcopal Church, 8595 Day Road NE, Bainbridge Island, Washington. Remembrances may be made to Mason County AdoptvarPet, 940 E. Jensen Rd, Shelton, WA 98584. 11 Paid Obituary Notice la -z 5— 2m7 l-F , Mason County Genealogical Society,Obituaries,Obituaries for Shelton Cemetery,T Last Name,Thomas, Emma Joan Churlonis.tif,Thomas, Emma Joan Churlonis.tif, Thomas, Emma Joan Churlonis.tif