Dale Thomas

Berwyn, NE- Henry “Dale” Thomas age 84 of Berwyn died Friday, June 1, 2019, at the Burwell Community Care Home in Burwell.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 7, 2019, at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Broken Bow with Father Jim Hunt officiating.  Burial will be in the St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Broken Bow.  A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 6, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.  Memorials are suggested to the church. 

Henry “Dale” Thomas was born on September 30, 1934, at Litchfield, NE to Henry and Marie (Tondreau) Thomas.  Dale grew up in the Goose Valley area where his parents purchased a farm in 1942.  He attended grade school at Goose Valley and his first two years of high school at Berwyn and his junior and senior year at Ansley, where he graduated.  Shortly after graduation, he joined the service where he spent most of his time at Fort Bliss, TX.  After being discharged he returned to Berwyn where his parents had moved in 1952. 

He began his career in retail working in the Hesteds Store in Broken Bow.  In 1958 he married Joanna Dunkel, and for the next seven years, they moved around in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado while he continued to work for Hesteds.  During this time Dale and Joanna were blessed with one daughter, Debbie.  In 1967, he resigned from Hesteds and moved to San Francisco, CA where he worked for a chain store for one year.  After deciding California wasn’t for him, he and nine others invested and started Cloth World Stores.  He managed the store in Colorado for several years before returning to Nebraska.

Later in life, he married Linda Good and Meriam Sawyer.  The last few years of his life he lived alone in his home in Berwyn.  During these years he continued to enjoy his friendship with Meriam, her children, and grandchildren. 

Dale is survived by his daughter Debbie (Warren) Jackson of Valentine, four grandchildren; Michaela, Savannah, Katelynn, and Brennann.  He was preceded in death by his parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.