Clara Vell Thomas died on December 7, 2021, at Willow Care Nursing Home at the age of 94 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Clara Vell was born on October 27, 1927, in Willow Springs, Missouri, to Paul and Grace (Radford) Waggoner. She graduated from Willow Springs High School in 1945 and married her long-time sweetheart James Lewis Thomas on October 22, 1945.
One of her first jobs was working as a telephone operator. When her husband’s military service took him to Alabama, she worked at a long underwear factory through the summer which she found ironic. After they returned to Missouri, she helped Lew run a grocery store in Cabool. When they moved to Willow Springs, she became a homemaker for many years but as her children grew, she began work as a bookkeeper at James Motor Company. Later as her husband’s business, Thomas Advertising, became busier, she began working as his bookkeeper.
While her children grew, she was quite involved with their activities. She served as homeroom mother for both her children, worked as a den mother and Brownie leader, hosted class parties, helped build floats for the parades, served as a volunteer at the bloodmobile, helped with census taking, and even played some golf. Summer backyard get-togethers with family and neighbors were a feature of her household for many years.
She loved knitting for family and friends and would knit everything from afghans, sweaters, baby blankets, and Christmas stockings to sock caps, scarves, and even Barbie clothes. Reading, flower arranging, bird watching, word puzzles, and putting together jigsaw puzzles were some additional pastimes she enjoyed. She found great pleasure baking and decorating cakes with special themes for birthdays and other occasions. She and Lew also enjoyed traveling with family and friends, especially Lyle and Maxine James, Dot and Adrian Lasley, and Jay and Martha Waggoner. However, her favorite activity was spending time with her kids and grandkids. She was a long-time member of the Willow Springs Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lew, her parents, Paul and Grace Waggoner, her brothers and their wives, Gene and Mary Waggoner, Jay and Martha Waggoner, and one nephew, Steve Waggoner. She is survived by her son James P. Thomas and wife, Linda, of Fairfax, Virginia, her daughter Janet T. Shaw and husband, Robert, of Willow Springs, Missouri; grandchildren, James Thomas, Jr. and wife, Ivy, of Great Falls, Virginia, John Thomas of Fairfax, Virginia, Cathy Ivey and husband, Justin, of Chantilly, Virginia, Kim Boley and husband, James, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Tom Shaw and wife, Jody, of Ozark, Missouri; five great-grandchildren, Grace Shaw, Gabe Shaw, Abbi Boley, Lizzie Boley, and Tommy Ivey. Clara Vell is also survived by her sister-in-law Shirley Cole of Davenport, Iowa, and by several nieces and nephews.
She will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 18, 2021, at Yarber Mortuary, Willow Springs. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., also at the chapel. Inurnment will be in the Willow Springs City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s Association. Condolences may be expressed at www.yarbermortuary.com.
