Lula Pearle 'Lou' Thomas' Obituary
Lula Pearle “Lou” (Mrs. “Straw” Thomas) 93 born February 24, 1919, in Converse, Louisiana, died December 29, 2012. Daughter of William Centenary Honeycutt and Lillie Belle Carpenter Honeycutt. Lou was reared in Louisiana.
Lou is survived by two son and their wives, Dale Alan Thomas and Patty of Fayetteville, AR, Lloyd Dean Thomas and Susan of Germantown, TN, and five grandchildren: Nathan Brook Thomas, Shannon Lee Thomas, Jed Brandon Thomas, Kimberly Beth Messmore, and Mark Clayton Thomas, and two great grandchildren, Molly Messmore and Adelaide Jane Thomas. Lou was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, her sisters Janice Payne of Jackson, MS and Jerry Harris of Lufkin, TX.
At the end of WW II Lou and Straw made their home in Baton Rouge, LA where they lived 50 years before moving to Fayetteville, AR and Butterfield Trail Village Retirement Community. They celebrated 65 years of happy marriage in 2005. Lou had great pride and love for her family – all four generations.
Lou was a graduate of Louisiana Tech University. After varied employment she spent 35 years with the Baton Rouge newspapers, the last 31 as Director of the Library. She was an active member of local, state, and international professional organizations, holding offices in all. She was honored with many prestigious awards from the Louisiana Library Association. An Annual award named in her honor is given by the news division of SLA. Lou was one of the early leaders in developing the electronic news research database as the computer and new technology began to make inroads into the industry. The Baton Rouge newspapers preceded many of the papers throughout the country in this accomplishment, brought about partly because of her vision.
As member of Ingleside Methodist Church in Baton Rouge she was active, working in various capacities including chairman of the administrative board. She helped to write the history of the church and helped write the history of the Girl Scout Council in Baton Rouge. She was one of the writers for Guidelines for Newspapers Libraries, published by the American Newspaper Publishers Association.
After retirement Lou’s passion for writing continued preserving much of the family history. Other interest for which she found time and pleasure were quilting and small theater group at Butterfield Trail Village and serving as president of the Residents Association.
Lou was not a spectator of life. She could always be found in the middle of things or leading them.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 AM, Wednesday, January 2, 2013 in the Chapel of Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville with Reverend Steve Pulliam officiating. A committal service will be held 10:00 AM, on Thursday January 3, 2012 in the mausoleum chapel of Mulhearn Cemetery in Monroe, LA.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
To sign the online guest book please visit www.nelsonberna.com
Arrangements are under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory of Fayetteville.
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