Alicia Ann Jones Thomas, 87, passed with her daughters and sister by her side in Morgantown on August 10, 2024.
She was born Jan. 7, 1937, at home in Sand Fork, W.Va., on the morning of a cold, snowy blizzard and lived most of her life with her husband of 62 years, Paul E. Edward Thomas, in Sistersville, W.Va. Alicia and Paul were members of the Sistersville Church of Christ for more than 30 years.
Alicia graduated from Gilmer County High School, Glenville, W.Va., in 1954 and earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Glenville State College and later, a master’s degree in home economics and nutrition from West Virginia University. She ventured to Tyler County to begin her first job after college with West Virginia University Extension and served as the extension agent for Tyler and Wetzel Counties. She grew the 4-H program, helping to start many new 4-H clubs, including the Sistersville Cyclones.
She also worked for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services for many years serving as a social worker and then juvenile probation officer. She had an immense love for helping children make their way to a better life.
While building the home they resided in for nearly 60 years and starting a family, Alicia also co-founded, owned and operated the Rendezvous Roller Rink in Sistersville with Paul for 30 years. They fulfilled their dream of providing a recreational activity for the area’s children and families and supporting the community as local business owners.
Alicia had the honor of serving as a West Virginia Strawberry Festival Princess and wore an intricate gown that she made by hand. She was an expert seamstress and fashioned the wedding dresses of her daughters, granddaughter and many other family and friends.
She was an avid home cook and baker, and you knew you were special when you received a triple chocolate brownie trifle. Growing up on a farm instilled in her a love of gardening, and she filled a canning cellar with canned vegetables that she and Paul grew in their garden, and that her children, family and friends still enjoy to this day.
She doted on her four grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and thrilled them with her teasing, her contagious laugh and funny stories. Her favorite joke from her youngest grandson, Nathan, always elicited the deepest belly laugh that everyone enjoyed, “Why did the cranberries turn red? Because they saw the turkey dressing!”
She loved to play board games and spent many hours around the kitchen table letting us (sometimes) win! She was a spirited adventurer and worked toward earning a pilot’s license, covered news with Paul as a stringer for the local television network, took guitar lessons later in life and studied the scriptures endlessly. Her favorite summer event was the Jones Family reunion in Glenville, W.Va., where family and friends gathered for competitive yard games, food and fun.
Alicia was preceded in death by her husband, Paul E. Thomas; parents, Gilbert W. and Alvis Campbell Jones; and brothers, Aethel “Sock” Jones, Randall “Ranny” Jones and Edgell Jones.
Many others will miss her tremendously including her children and their families: Tara Thomas Scatterday and husband, Chuck Scatterday, of Morgantown, Krystal Thomas and husband, Michael Whitesell, of Bristol, Va.; grandchildren in order of age: Allysan Scatterday, Seth Scatterday, Drew Scatterday and Nathan Whitesell; her brother, Rodney “Rod” Jones and wife, Joyce; and her sister, Linda Collins; along with many nieces and nephews and their extended families.
We extend a heartfelt thanks to all the dedicated and compassionate caregivers and staff from the Village at Heritage Point in Morgantown and Amedisys Morgantown Hospice Care.
Family and friends will be received at Myers Funeral Home in Sistersville, W.Va., from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 17, with a funeral service at noon. A graveside service will be held directly following the funeral at Beechwood Cemetery in Alma, W.Va.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Alicia’s honor to support the Augusta Levy Learning Center, West Virginia’s first intensive autism treatment program, 210 Anthony Ave., Wheeling, WV 26003, or help support West Virginia 4-H with a gift in Alicia’s name to West Virginia University Extension:
https://give.wvu.edu/give/429846/#!/donation/checkout
