James A. "Jake" Thomas

MOVILLE, Iowa -- James A. "Jake" Thomas, 71, of Moville died suddenly Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, at his winter home in Yuma, Ariz.

Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton, Iowa, with the Rev. Bruce Jackson officiating. Burial will be in Banner Township Cemetery at Lawton. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of McCulloch Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home in Moville.

Jake was born Jan. 18, 1937, in Moville, the son of Clarence and Emily (Allner) Thomas Sr. He grew up in Correctionville, graduating from Correctionville High School in 1956. He had lived his entire life in the Correctionville/Moville area.

He married Patricia K. Reinert on May 23, 1959, in Dakota City. Jake was employed in the maintenance department of the Iowa Department of Transportation, Correctionville office, for 29 years, retiring in 1999. He was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia; two daughters, Debbie (Tony) Gunsch of Yuma, Ariz., and Ann (Tom) Roughton of Bakersfield, Calif.; five grandchildren, Thomas Bibler of Sioux City, Erin Gunsch and Adam Gunsch of Yuma, Shannon Wilson of Le Mars, Iowa, and Paul Singh of Bakersfield; two great-grandchildren, Andrew and Riley Bibler of Sioux City; a brother, Douglas Thomas of Correctionville; a sister, Ida Mae Backhaus of Sioux City; a son-in-law, Allen Bibler of Lawton, Iowa; his mother-in-law, June Reinert of Cherokee, Iowa; and a sister-in-law, Kaye Thomas of Correctionville.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Cindy Bibler; a brother, Clarence "Buzz" Thomas Jr.; and his father-in-law, Tony Reinert.

Pallbearers will be Tim Thomas, Tommy Thomas, Danny Wortman, Jeff Wortman, Corey Wortman and Cody Wortman. Honorary pallbearers will be Tom Bibler, Shannon Wilson, Paul Singh, Adam Gunsch and Erin Gunsch.