Linwood Rice Thomas Obituary (1925 - 2016)

Linwood Rice Thomas, 90, of Madison, passed away Monday January 25, 2016 surrounded by his loving family at the VA Medical Center in Togus, Maine. He was born August 31, 1925 in Brockton, Massachusetts, the son of Sumner Thomas and Annie (Rice) Thomas. He was educated in Massachusetts schools. Linwood served our country during WWII in the US Army’s 110th Mountain Division in Italy. He married Jean Walsh on January 25, 1946 in Brockton, Massachusetts. For 30 years Linwood worked for Ward Machine Shop in Brockton, Massachusetts. In 1978 they moved to Solon, Maine and then to Madison. He was a member of the Samoset Rod and Gun Club in West Bridgewater, MA; he was an avid hunter and fisherman. He also enjoyed building model airplanes, boats, and cars. Besides his wife Jean of 70 years of Madison, he leaves two daughters, Eileen Leonard and husband David of N.H., Susan Thompson and husband William of N.C., five grandsons, Timothy, John, Joseph, Patrick, Joshua, eleven great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, several nieces and nephews and a lifelong friend Cecelia Burke of Madison. He was predeceased by his daughter Mary Ann Thomas, two brothers Eugene and Frederick. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday, February 1, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Main St., Madison, Maine. Burial will be held at a later date at the VA Cemetery in Augusta, Maine. Arrangements are under the care of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, Maine.