On April 29th, 2003, Dennis Earl Thomas, age 86, joined his parents, Jay and Jessie, his brothers Charles, Linus, Samuel, Everett, Wilbur, Alva, James, and sisters Frieda and Hildred in heaven.

This good and gentle man succumbed to pneumonia after a week of struggle and is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Anna, and his son Wayne, daughter Susan and son-in-law Joe Williams, 7 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and his brother Homer, age 95.

A longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Richland, Denny has believed in Christ Jesus as his Savior since he was a boy in Terre Haute, Indiana. There, in high school, he met the love of his life at a church social and married her on Dec. 31, 1937.

He came west as part of the Manhattan Project at Hanford as a fireman. He was also a fireman for the City of Richland, owned and operated a trailer sales at the Richland Y, was a nuclear plant operator for G.E., and was a Benton County tax assessor.

A lifelong love of chess and table tennis was instilled during his fireman years. He formed lifelong friendships at all the jobs he held. Denny had a romantic soul and sought out poetry he would write down in handsome script and slip to his wife.

He was a loving father with a mischievous sense of humor which earned him the nickname Dennis the Menace at home as well as at work. A man who thoroughly enjoyed projects and working with his own hands, he completely remodeled his home.

He achieved Technician status in Amateur Ham radio and hammed it up for many years. He enjoyed helping construct the Living Christmas Tree each year for his church. Adventurous and friendly, he and his wife became ''snowbirds'' after he retired, touring America and making good and lasting friends wherever they went.

Denny was a treasured part of all our lives and will be greatly missed, but we are comforted because our treasure is in heaven.

Visitation is from 5:00 to 8:00 Thursday and Friday, May 1 and 2 at Einan's Funeral Home in Richland.

The funeral service will be held in Richland at Einan's at 1:00 Saturday, May 3, with graveside services following at Sunset Memorial Gardens.