Nina Thomas

NINA SUE THOMAS

Batavia

Nina Sue Thomas, 87, of Batavia, Iowa, passed away Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Parkview Care Center in Fairfield, Iowa, after her final battle with cancer. Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Cranston Family Funeral Home in Fairfield with Pastor Danny Cary officiating. The family respectfully requests that masks be worn during the service. Burial will be held in Batavia Cemetery immediately following

the service. A visitation will be held from

1 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the funeral home. The family will not be present during this time. Memorial contributions in Nina's honor may be directed to the Batavia Public Library. Friends may leave online condolences at www.cranstonfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Nina Sue Daniels Thomas was born Feb. 27, 1933, in Downing, Mo., to Earl and Mary Richards Daniels. She graduated from Batavia High School in 1952. Nina married Gene Thomas on April 12, 1952, at Batavia Methodist Church. To this union, they had three children, Phil, Teresa and The Brat (a.k.a. Mark). She always was active with her children, being a den mother in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. She taught Sunday school for years. The moment she was most proud of was when she received her diploma to be a certified nurse.

She had a creative touch, be it knitting, crocheting, quilting, crossstitch, painting or anything to do with crafts. The one legacy she left for her family was how to fight, being a four-time survivor of cancer (stage 4 twice). Nina did this with faith, family and friends. She loved the outdoors, always growing flowers, plants and taking care of the birds, especially the hummingbirds. Her true calling was as matriarch of a large brood, be it her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or their children or whomever she took under her wings. She always said that worrying about all of us must have worked because nine out of 10 times, nothing happened.

Nina was preceded in death by her true love and husband of 67 years, Gene; her two sisters and their husbands, Vena (Dave) Hughell and Roberta (Glen) Bate; her parents and her in-laws, Bob and Edith Thomas; a brother-in-law, Ralph "Butch" Baker; and her most beloved aunt and uncle, Pearl and Dal Davis.

Nina is survived by her three children, Dr. Phil (Debra) Thomas of Vinton, Iowa, Teresa (Jim) Hollingsworth of Marion, Iowa, and Mark (The Brat) Thomas of Batavia; her seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She also was cherished by her many nieces, nephews, many friends, her in-house nurse, Jamie Howe, whom we adopted as another grandchild; and Judy Dovico, her book buddy who kept her well supplied with her favorite books.