Elaine W. (Wilson) Thomas

Elaine Wilson Thomas, 78, of Rhodesdale passed away on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at her home. She was born in Dover, DE on October 14, 1942 and was a daughter of the late Edwin L. and Laura Ellen Bradley Wilson.

She graduated from Bridgeville High School class of 1960 and received her AA Degree from Warwick Community College in 1986. She began a career at DuPont in Seaford and had daughters in 1962 and 1964.  On December 16, 1978, she married the love of her life, William W. Thomas, Jr. She was an amazing wife and mother; she took on the role of Step-Mother with the grace and strength needed to manage her blended family.  To provide her family with new adventures and opportunities to connect, she bravely embraced new past-times such as water skiing, snow skiing, and working beside her husband and their children on the farm.  Her siblings and extended family were also of utmost importance and over the years she coordinated many family trips, family reunions, summer picnics, watermelon bashes, and Holiday parties. Elaine retired in 1991 from DuPont working as a technical assistant.

After her retirement from DuPont, she enjoyed taking on new challenges in education and adventure.  She obtained her masters gardeners certificate, worked for the blood bank of Delmarva as a phlebotomist, and volunteered for Coastal Hospice.  She learned to solo sky dive, solo pilot a plane, and obtained her CDL license to drive her husband’s farm trucks.

Throughout most of her adult life she made professional cakes for special occasions. None more special than the ones she made for her family and friends, weddings, birthdays, christenings and more.  She and Bill were members of the Ocean Waves Square Dancing Club.  Elaine was a talented seamstress, making all of their square-dancing outfits, her daughters Christmas dance and prom dresses, and numerous grandchildren’s Halloween costumes.

Of all the roles that she took on over the years being a Grandmother and Great-Grandmother was the one in which she found the most joy.  She took time to get to know each grandchild, taking them on vacations and adventures.  An adventure of their choice for their birthday, she went with them parasailing, deep sea fishing, skiing, flying, and on special spa and shopping trips.  Every Christmas she worked with each Grandchild to help them craft gifts for their parents, her children.  She also hand-crafted many Christmas gifts over the years such as dolls, dresses, scarves, and blankets.

She is survived by her husband William W. Thomas, Jr. of Rhodesdale, her children William Thomas III (Kolap) of Alexandria, VA, Cheyrl Elzey (Kerry) of Charlottesville, VA, Terri Thomas (Freddy) of Salisbury, and Tammy Curry (Phil) of Chester.  Grandchildren; Peter Mom, Phann White, Mathew Jones, Laura Callahan, Jeff Elzey, Cory Jones, Michael Curry, Lyndsey Ryan, Alyssa Curry, Hillary Hastings, Zach Jones, Austin Garcia;  12 great grandchildren, her brothers and sisters Leon Wilson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL, David Wilson, Sr. of Greenwood, DE, James Wilson of Tennessee, Rachel Cross of Elkton, Leona Robinson of Federalsburg, Sandi Shea of Bridgeville, DE and Susan Knight of Rehoboth, DE and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Mathew Jones, Jeff Elzey, Cory Jones, Zach Jones, Daniel Ryan and Aaron Callahan.

A walk through visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 from 1 pm to 2 pm at Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. in Cambridge. Funeral service will be private.

In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Reid’s Grove United Methodist Church, c/o Betty Wilson 5314 Rhodesdale Vienna Road, Rhodesdale, MD 21659 or Coastal Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, MD 21802-1733.