Judith C. (Coleman) Thomas

Judith C. Thomas, beloved mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend, passed peacefully in her sleep on March 23, 2023 at the age of 90.

She was a unique and beautiful blend of traits – the strong, stoic woman who never complained about the strains of raising three children as a single mother; the funny, outgoing social butterfly who loved to laugh, as much at herself as at anything else, and who could keep a room in stitches with stories of her childhood; the kind, compassionate friend who could be counted on in any hour of need.

She was born May 16, 1932 in Kirkwood, Missouri, daughter of Hal R. Coleman and Isabella Menkens Coleman. She was a graduate of Kirkwood High School, class of 1949, and in 1954, married Bradford Thomas. They moved about the country, from El Paso, Texas, to Lawrence, Kansas,  to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to San Francisco, California and finally, Kent, Ohio. In 1969, she started working at Kent State University, and over the next 28 years, she filled clerical and administrative roles at the Kent State University School, the English Department, and the Provost’s Office. In 1973, she and Brad divorced, and she became a single mother to three children under the age 14. She got all three of them through college at Kent State, balancing work with motherhood and still finding time to volunteer with Townhall II.

In 1997, she retired from the University and devoted herself to reading, gardening and showering massive amounts of love on the succession of dogs and cats that were a constant presence in her life. She loved gathering with family and friends near and far, and never missed an opportunity for a good steak dinner or a visit to the ocean.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Charles Lee Coleman and her sister, Jacqueline Fraser. She leaves behind her brother, Hal B. Coleman (Shirley Coleman); son, Greg Thomas (Kim Vickery Thomas), daughter Robin Thomas (Marty Sprunck), daughter Amy Thomas; grandsons Brendan Thomas, Coleman Thomas and Remy Sprunck, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 6:00PM at Bissler and Sons Funeral Home, 628 West Main Street, Kent, Ohio 44240. Visitation will be prior to the service, from 5:00-6:00PM on Thursday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of the Sea Otter https://defenders.org/friends-of-sea-otter#:~:text=Founded%20in%201968%20by%20pioneering,under%20federal%20and%20state%20law . or The Humane Society of Summit County https://www.summithumane.org .

Services in care of Bissler and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.