Ruth Marie Thomas

Ruth Marie Thomas, age 84, of 68734 Tyson Mill Road, Quaker City, Ohio, died at 8:56 p.m. Saturday, May 3, 2025 in her home surrounded by her family. 

She was born March 16, 1941 near Maynard, Belmont County, Ohio; a daughter of a coal miner, the late William Paul Repik, and Helen Elizabeth Potorski Repik. 

Ruth was a 1959 graduate of Madison High School. She was proud of having the lead part in the junior and senior high school play. She was also the top office practice student and got to assist the superintendent and ring the bell between classes. 

She married her sweetheart since seventh grade and husband of 65 years, Dean Thomas, on August 1, 1959 in Freeport at the Methodist Parsonage by Reverend Tulga. She was a loving farmer’s wife and thought it would be a great idea to milk cows when she got married and they had a dairy farm for fifty-one years. She was very active in helping manage the farm. 

She retired in March of 2009 from East Guernsey Local School district after driving school bus for thirty-four years. Ruth was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to her own plus all the other neighbor kids. She was a member of the Antrim United Methodist Church, was in charge of fixing the sacraments for communion, setting up the Christmas Nativity, and taught Sunday School. She was also a member of WSCS. She was an avid supporter of her family’s school activities. 

Also surviving are four daughters: Deb Thomas, Karen Thomas, Sharon (Vaughn) Secrest, and Barb Hardesty; two grandsons: Tyler (Kaity) Hardesty and Trevor (Paige) Hardesty; a granddaughter, Jamie Secrest; six great grandchildren: Slade, Dash, Kolbie, Koen, Knox, Kora; a son-in-law, Dennis Hardesty; and special friends: Cassie Deis, Johnny Duffy, Brad Cramblett, and Michael McElwain; four sisters-in-law: Shirley Repik, Linda Nicholson, Carole Sue (Eugene) Tuttle, Shirley (Bob) Ford; one brother-in-law: Dennis Thomas; and many friends and neighbors. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, William Repik, who died in January 2025; a sister-in-law, Carol Thomas; a brother-in-law, Gary Nicholson. 

Visitation was held in the Antrim United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 6, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Services were held Wednesday, May 7, 2025 also in the church at 1:00 p.m. with Devanie Roe and Nancy Parsons officiating. Burial followed in Antrim Community Cemetery. 

Dean invited everyone to come back to the church for a meal in the church basement following Ruth’s burial. 

Koch Funeral Home, 216 S High Street, Freeport was entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences may be made on their website www.kochfuneralhome.net