Mildred L. Thomas

Mildred Louise Polen Thomas, 72, of Prosperity, died Saturday, April 25, 2009, in the Washington Hospital, following a brief illness. She was born May 22, 1936, in Waynesburg, a daughter of the late Floyd and Lucille Turner Polen. She lived in Ryerson Station and Jacktown during her youth. Mrs. Thomas was a 1954 graduate of Richhill Township School, where she was Senior May Queen and Valedictorian of her class. In 1957, she graduated from Washington Hospital School of Nursing. Mrs. Thomas worked as a registered nurse in the pediatric department of Greene County Memorial Hospital for 18 months and then as a pediatric nurse at Washington Hospital, where she worked until her retirement in 1996. She loved her work as a pediatric nurse and was a loyal employee. Mrs. Thomas was a member of Washington Hospital Alumni Association and volunteered for the American Heart Association and the Lymphoma Society. She was a 40-year member of the former Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Claysville, where she had served as a Sunday School teacher, deaconess, pianist and music director. Since 1999, she had been active in the Bates Fork Baptist Church, Sycamore, where she served as Sunday School teacher, pianist and as secretary of the Ladies Aide Society. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother. She loved studying the Bible, teaching, playing the piano, singing and watching television with her husband. On August 24, 1958, in South Wheeling Baptist Church, Wind Ridge, she married Harold A. “Hat” Thomas, who survives. Also surviving are three daughters, Vanessa (Jim) Beatty of Prosperity, Melanie (Dennis) Finney of Ten Mile, and Melissa (Ed) Szygenda of East Finley; two brothers, Melvin (Jane) Polen of Washington and Howard (Dene) Polen of Orlando, Florida; a sister, Linda (Fred) Iams of Waynesburg; four grandsons, Shane (Emma) Beatty, Joshua Finney, Jacob Finney and Derek Szygenda; three granddaughters, Sheena Beatty, Cheyanne Finney and Rainey Szygenda; a great-granddaughter, Jade Beatty; and several nieces and nephews. Deceased are a daughter, Valerie Lynn Thomas, three brothers, Andrew B., Wilbur D. and Edgar A. Polen; and three sisters-in-law, Mary Barnhart Polen, Flora Aldene Houston Polen and Dorothy Thomas Kereston. Friends will be received Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in William G. Neal Funeral Homes, Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington, where services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 28th, with Pastor Cristy Wise officiating. Burial will follow in Prosperity Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to United Cerebral Palsy, 190 North Main Street, Suite 306, Washington, PA 15301.