Nancy Thomas
April 28, 1933 — March 4, 2020
Nancy Thomas, 86, passed away at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs in the presence of her family on March 4. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, and beloved grandmother. She will be missed enormously, but will remain in our hearts forever. Her death follows that of her husband, Armand Thomas, who passed away 11 weeks earlier on December 18. Nancy, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, was the daughter of the late Harry and Fannie Packtor. While attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, she married Armand in Chicago in 1953. After graduating, she traveled with Armand while he served in the Army as a commissioned officer. When he was stationed in Denver, Nancy gave birth to their son, Steven, in 1956. Following Armand’s service commitment in Denver, they returned to Chicago. Nancy and Armand purchased a house in Wilmette — a Chicago suburb — in 1958, and soon thereafter, their daughter, Betsy, was born in 1961. In 2004, Nancy and Armand moved back to Colorado where they purchased a home in the River Valley Ranch section of Carbondale. Nancy’s many life-long passions included baking, cooking, gardening, swimming, Mahjong, and Bridge. She rarely lost while playing table games. In fact, she purchased a piano with her winnings in the early 1960s. Nancy also loved the outdoors. She and Armand enjoyed riding their tandem bicycle together in the Roaring Fork Valley and Glenwood Canyon. They also spent winters skiing at Snowmass with their children and grandchildren. Nancy skied into her 70s when orthopedic issues forced her to stop. Nancy is survived by her son, Steven (Nancy) Thomas of Superior, Colorado; daughter, Betsy (Mark) Gatehouse of Greensboro, North Carolina; grandson, Rick (Dori) Thomas of Chicago, Illinois; granddaughter, Libby (Jason) Hartmann of Aspen, Colorado; brother, Jim (Jan) Packtor of Glenview, Illinois; and brother-in-law, Lester (Dorie) Ordman of Glencoe, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, please give a donation to the charity of your choice.