Jay Thomas, age 90, passed away February 15, 2017 in Salt Lake City, UT. Jay was born February 13, 1927 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Jenkyn Kesler Thomas and Elizabeth Afton Thomas. The sixth child following five sisters, Jay said, "I was spoiled rotten from birth to old age." He was married to Hazel Jean Truman for 67 enjoyable years.
As a child playing with toy soldiers, Jay became aware of the United States Marine Corps. After East High School graduation, class of 1944, with his parent's signatures in hand, he was sworn into the Marines. He loved every minute of it…except for boot camp. When he enlisted, WWII was still very active. Jay served his final time as a Marine aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Bennington CV-20. An accidental gun mount explosion on the Carrier knocked Jay unconscious leaving him hearing impaired for the rest of his life. For him, being a Marine was a childhood dream come true.
Bookkeeping was Jay's chosen profession. He worked seven years as a cost accountant with The Lang Co., a steel construction firm, giving him the experience he needed to move on. He found a second home working twenty-eight years at IML Freight, Inc, processing the largest non-government payroll in the State of Utah. His final five years of employment were with First Security Bank, doing Mortgage Auditing. At First Security he had a mild stroke that left him unable to perform his job. He permanently retired after forty years in accounting.
He was an early member of the Salt Lake Chess Club. He sang with the Beehive Statesmen Barbershop Chorus. Jay was a member of the Herpetology Society, and a bird watcher. He also liked to dabble in microscopy, astronomy, geology, and meteorology. He took evening classes at the "U" whenever possible. He wrote family histories, researched interesting LDS subjects, wrote short stories, and tried poetry…once.
Jay always looked for the quintessential politician, but claimed none existed. His first opportunity to vote was cast as a straight FDR-Democrat. The last time he voted was also as a straight Democrat. Somewhere in the middle of his life he became involved in the Republican Party to the extent he was elected as a delegate to a Utah State Republican Convention. He didn't find his honest politician there, either.
A member of the LDS Church, Jay served as Ward Finance Clerk, an officer and teacher in two Elders Quorum's, and a president and teacher in a Seventy Quorum. He successfully served a two-year Stake Mission, and taught the Adult Gospel Doctrine Class. He got permission to sing with the ward choir from his wife, "as long as you don't try to solo." He was called as ward choir director four times, but never got a handle on it. "But, I tried."
Survived by his wife, Jean; children, Kevin (Mary), Kelly (Malinda), Kirk (Cindy), Kyle (Andrea), Kayla Doud (John); a brother, Darrell. Preceded in death by his parents, five sisters, Dorothy Butler, Betty Higbee, Lois Weidner, Marion Davis, and Louise Hughes.
There will be viewings on Monday, February 20, 2017 from 6-8 pm at Larkin Mortuary (260 E. South Temple SLC, UT 84111) and 11 am - 12 noon on Tuesday. A graveside service will take place at 12:30 pm at Salt Lake City Cemetery on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.
