Larena Thomas

LaRena "Doll" Thomas, passed away on June 10, 2019 at home in Denver, CO. She was born on October 29, 1934 in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Henry Hudgins and Mary Ellen (Winesberry) Golden.

Doll grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Growing up she adored her Aunts-Larena Hudgins, Red and Gertrude Hudgins, Mancie Tony, Johnnie Tony, Fannie Wilson, and grandparents Henry and Maggie Winesberry. She would always give credit to these ladies for her terrific cooking abilities. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Fort Smith in 1952. After high school, she attended college at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where she received a degree in Drama and pledged Delta Sigma Theta. She then began work for the Arkansas Public school system as a teacher.

Doll married James S. Thomas in Dumas, Arkansas and soon moved to Chicago, Illinois. Doll began teaching at Holy Angels Catholic School before moving to the Chicago Public School system. Doll obtained her Master's in Education from Concordia University-Chicago in 1986 and retired from Gompers Fine Arts Opt School in 1995.
Doll enjoyed reading, traveling, watching sports and spending time with her family. Doll touched the lives of many people with her smile, generosity and style and maintained her trademark sense of humour all the way to the end.
Larena was preceded in death by her parents Henry Hudgins and Mary Ellen Golden; her brother Charles Hudgins; her sister Audrey Marie Harris; and her son Russell Darnell Swift.

LaRena leaves to cherish her memory her daughter Pertrice Bumpas and grandson, Brandyn Bumpas(Cinthia) and her nephew, C. Lamont Smith of Denver, Colorado(Janice), niece Aleesha Smith(Jovan) of Dallas, TX and her nieces and nephews Adrian, Chris, Saige, Kingston, Charles and Lajeanne; Her cousins, Robinson Family and special friends Minnie Tyree, Mary Grant, Virginia Holland, Bertha Cleveland, Betty Thompson and Bessie Travis and a host of other relatives and friends.

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