Guyla May Thomas, 83, passed away on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at Highland Park Care Center. She was born on May 10, 1931 at Alliance, Nebraska to Jesse Millard and Esther Elizabeth (Guy) Kirkpatrick. She grew up on the family farm northwest of Alliance where she learned the value of hard work.
She graduated from Alliance High School in 1948 and took the two years of college required to teach in the country schools where she taught for the next 16 years.
She married Benny Burdette Thomas in Alliance on March 12, 1949 in Alliance.
In 1968 she went back to Chadron State College and finished her degree and taught at Hemingford Elementary Schools until her retirement or as Grandpa Burdette liked to say: “It took Grandma 43 years to get out of the 6th grade!” She also worked alongside Burdette on the farm. She enjoyed a variety of crafts, ceramics, and oil painting and loved to garden and cook.
She is survived by her only son, Donald Lynn and wife, Becci of Alliance, her grandchildren, Kelli and Corey Richter of Scottsbluff, Chad and Lisa Thomas of Alliance and Andy and Jana Thomas of Colorado Springs, CO and her great-grandchildren, Katen, Marley, Maya, Kyler and Carson Thomas. She is also survived by her sisters, Cleora Schwaderer of Bayard, Treva Mercer and Selva Vasa, both of Alliance, and numerous nieces and nephews, including Sam and Kent Kirkpatrick and Lynne Sward that she helped raise.
Guyla was preceded in death by her husband, Burdette in 2007, her great-grandchildren, Layne Thomas and Ella Richter, her parents and brothers, Daryl and Glade Kirkpatrick.
Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will Saturday, May 16 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Chapel. Inurnment will be in the Alliance Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com.