Lillian Thomas, age 88, of 375 Dakota Ave. S., Huron, SD, died Thursday, April 10, 2008, at the Huron Regional Medical Center. Her funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 16, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish with Father Terry Anderson officiating. Burial will be at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 1-8 p.m. at the Welter Funeral Home with a Scripture Service at 7 p.m., or Wednesday morning one hour prior to the service at the church. Lillian Thomas was born Lillian M. Elyea in Highmore, SD, on November 24, 1919, to Clarence and Katherine (Corcoran) Elyea. Lillian attended school in Holabird, Harrold, Ree Heights, and Wessington graduating as Valedictorian of her class in 1937. She entered McKennan Hospital School of Nursing in Sioux Falls graduating in September 1941 with her RN degree. She then worked at St. Mary's Hospital in Racine, WI, and later as an Industrial nurse at JI Case Company in Racine. On June 10, 1943, Lillian married James W. "Jim" Thomas of Racine, WI, and they moved to Miller, SD, where she worked at the Miller Hospital until 1944 when they moved to Huron. Lillian did Private duty, worked at the Huron Hospital, St. John's Hospital, Violet Tschetter Memorial Home, and the Huron Clinic - retiring from nursing in 1987. She was a Cub Scout den mother, Brownie Scout leader, member of St. Martin and Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, Catholic Daughters, Catholic Nurses Organization, American Red Cross, RSVP Volunteer Organization, a registered Laubach Literacy Tutor, and a volunteer at Holy Trinity Catholic School. She loved to spend time with her friends and family; to read, write Poetry, sew crochet, and travel. Lillian is survived by 3 sons and spouses, Dick (Susan Hohm) Thomas of Aberdeen, Steve (Julie) Thomas of Toledo, OH, and Bob (Sandy) Thomas of Rochester, MN; 3 daughters and spouses, Jeanne (Gary) Viken of Pierre, SD, Cathy (Scott) Ramsell of Huron, SD, and Rita (Craig) Jones of Huron, SD; 12 grandchildren; Vanessa (Jay) Tschetter, Eric (Emily) Thomas, Andrea (Jonathon) Urbach, Kristin (Aaron) Carlson, Brian (Jessica) Hawley, Stephanie (Cody) Rahder, Jeffrey (Rachel) Thomas, Elliot Thomas, Melissa (Mike) Maxwell, Nicole (Marco) Maldonado, Jacob Thomas, and Carly Thomas; and 14 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim on August 28, 1999; 1 sister, Marie (Elyea) Paine and brother-n-law, Bud Paine of Glen Ellen, CA; and 1 brother, Staff Sgt. Charles R. Elyea of Wessington, SD.