Barbara Ann Thomas

Barbara Ann Thomas 1946 - 2023 Barbara Ann Thomas, 77, of Napa, formerly of Aloha, Oregon, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Christmas Day following a lengthy illness. Born May 8, 1946, in Vallejo, California, Barbara was the adopted daughter of the late John Ernest and Rose Linda Brehmer Merrill. As John served in the United States Navy for over 20 years, the family relocated to live near his duty stations, which included various California locations, as well as New York and Japan. In 1956 the family settled into their home on Thelma Avenue in Vallejo, where Barbara and her brothers, Cliff and Jack, were raised. As a girl Barbara was introduced to the wonderful world of Disney characters and fell in love with Dumbo, only later to decide on Goofy as her lifelong favorite. Barbara attended Steffan Manor Elementary School, Hogan Junior High, Vallejo Senior High, then graduated from Hogan Senior High in 1964. Barbara was involved in school activities, and she was very talented at singing and dancing. Through the years, Barbara remained very connected with her Vallejo and Hogan High classmates. Sadly, Rose and John passed away in 1972. Barbara was 26, Cliff 23 and Jack only 16 when they lost their beloved parents. In 2012, Barbara said farewell to Frank, the love of her life, when he passed away. Barbara spent more than thirty years in the hospitality industry—many years as a server in restaurants and occasional stints as bartender. She also spent five years as secretary for The Banyan Tree, a child and adolescent residential care provider. In 1965 she married a former neighbor and high school classmate, Eddie Kemp, with whom they share a daughter, Rhonda. In 1980, she met Franklin “Frank” Ray Thomas while serving as a bartender. The couple married in 1982 and Frank insisted Barbara leave work to become a homemaker. They made their home in Aloha, Oregon for more than thirty years and together enjoyed searching garage sales and frequent trips to Lincoln City for Bingo. The two enjoyed entertaining good friends and neighbors and even welcomed a neighbor dog “Buster” who would escape to the Thomas home while his owners were away and spend the day with them. Eventually he was adopted by Frank and Barbara and became one of the many fur babies the two were privileged to care for, including Dutch, Osa, Boozer—and soon Barbara’s fur son Chubbers. There was also Corkie, a chihuahua named “Little Man”, and Butch the parakeet. Barbara will be remembered as a warm hearted, loving lady who adopted most everyone she met as family—each with a stocking hung in her home at Christmas! She had an infallible memory and was her families’ reference for names, dates, and historical happenings. Barbara so loved her adopted parents and brothers, but she yearned to know more about her birth family. After years of research, she discovered that her birth mother, Elizabeth, passed away, but she was able to find and contact a number of her birth siblings. She developed a close relationship with them, and even went to several of their family reunions. Barbara is survived by her daughter Rhonda Kemp, her husband Len Bickford, and their children: Rhonda’s children, Mariah Martinez and her daughter Briar Rose, Carter Martinez and his partner Nickoli Marcus, and Len’s children, Chelsee Bunch, her husband Nathan, and Trevor Bickford and his girlfriend Krystle; Frank’s sons Frank Thomas Jr, Robert, and Jason and son Wyatt Thomas and Fiance Jessica. Also surviving are two brothers, Clifford Merrill, his wife Barbara, and their children: Jessica Merrill, her husband Nik, and their newborn son Luca, and Chris Merrill and fiancé Stephanie; and Jack Merrill, his wife Sherri, and their children Kelsie Thompkins, her husband Andrew, and daughters Willow and Violet; and Johnathan Walsh, his wife Leilani, and their daughters Porter and Parker. Barbara’s birth family includes her five sisters: Lydia, Joan, Beth, Cathy, and twins, sister Mignonette, and brother Richard. A celebration of Barbara’s Life will be held 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at Treadway & Wigger Funeral Chapel, 2383 Napa-Vallejo Highway, in Napa. Private committal will be on a later date, joining her late husband Frank in the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon. The family asks memorials be made to the ASPCA, any organization of aid to animals or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Friends may relay condolences online at treadwaywigger.com

Tributes

Barbara Ann Thomas

May 8, 1946 - December 25, 2023