Wasco County OR Archives Obituaries.....Thomas, Robert C. September 1, 2004 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com April 4, 2006, 11:34 am The Dalles Chronicle, September 15, 2004 Robert C. Thomas, 77, of Kooskia, Idaho, died Sept. 1, 2004, from complications of pneumonia. He was born Sept. 1, 1927, in Toppenish, Wash., and met Caroline Clute while stationed in Seattle with the U.S. Coast Guard. They were married in 1949 and moved to Chicago, where he attended the American Academy of Art. Afterward, they moved to Richland, where Robert worked as a technical artist for 25 years. At age 50, he took early retirement and moved his family to Boise to begin a long and successful career as a Western and wildlife artist. His paintings sold in galleries and art shows around the country, and he traveled the Northwest teaching his unique style to hundreds of workshop students. After living nine years in Boise, he and his wife built their dream home on Clear Creek near Kooskia. He became a well-known historical mural artist with artwork around the Northwest and California. He painted four murals for The Dalles Mural Society. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Caroline; three daughters and a son, Debbi Lunz, Camano Island, Wash.; Ron Thomas, San Jose, Calif.; Tresa Black, Spokane; and Brenda Thomas, Seattle; and five grandchildren. Funeral services were held at Trenary Funeral Chapel in Kooski, followed by burial at Pine Grove Cemetery. Additional Comments: Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon, Dan Spatz, Editor (e-mail dated 3/7/2006). File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/wasco/obits/t/thomas783gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 2.1 Kb