‘ Mason County historian Berwyn Thomas, 73, dies Dr. Berwyn Thomas Dr. Berwyn Brainerd Thomas, local historian and resident of Shelton since 1947, died August 14 at his home from the effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s sclerosis). He was 73. Dr. Thomas, born April 6, 1919 at Iowa City, Iowa, was the son of Floyd E. Thomas, who was serving with the U.S. Army in France, and Mary Elizabeth Brainerd Thomas. He attended schools in Iowa until 1929, and then in Tucson, Arizona. He was an Eagle Scout. He graduated with his bache- lor's degree in chemistry from the University of Arizona, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa, and earned his master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in 1942 and 1944 from the Institute of Paper Chemistry at Appleton, Wisconsin. During sum- mers, he worked in paper or pulp mills in several parts of the coun» try, including Longview, Washing- ton, in 1942. Hejoined theU,S.Navy in Janu- ary 1945, and attended training school for maintenance of radio and radar equipment. He then served as an instructor in the school until his discharge in July 1946. Dr. Thomas was employed atthe Central Chemical Laboratory, later the Olympia Research Divi- sion, of Rayonier, Incorporated in Shelton from January 1947 until his retirement in November 1980. He carried out various research projects in pulpmaking and bleaching, waste uses, conversion of pulp to rayon and related areas until 1957. From 1957 to 1972, he estab- lished and led a laboratory group for evaluation of papermaking quality of pulps, and from that time until 1980 he developed a Dr. Berwyn B. Thomas computer-based index system for company research documents and procedures for preserving those records. He was closely interested in the research library and company his- tory, and was author of several technical papers in industry publi- cations. He was also coinventor holding several patents. He was a member ofthe American Chemical Society and Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry. On May 27, 1950, Dr. Thomas was married at Framingham, Mas- sachusetts, to Captain Emma Joan Churlonis, a former member ofthe U.S. Nurse Corps. He was active in civic organizations, including the Shelton Junior Chamber of Com- merce, the Mason County Com- munity Concert Association, Shel- ton Yacht Club and Mason County Historical Society, serving as head of each organization at various times. He was a member of Saint David’s Episcopal Church and was for 20 years a Republican precinct committeeman. He was also a stamp collector and wrote some publications in this field, and he edited and published maps ofShel- ton. He served from 1984 to 1988 on the Shelton planning commit- tee. Dr. Thomas’ interest in history led to the writing of Shelton: The First Century, 1885-1985 for the Shelton~Mason County Journal’s special section to mark the city’s centennial. It was then published as a book in 1985 by the Mason County Historical Society. He con- tinued as editor and manager of the society’s publications program until recently. In 1991 he was named grand marshal of the Mason County Forest Festival, andin 1992 he was given the first Mason County Her- itage Award forhis part in preserv~ ing county history. Dr. Thomas also maintained a family interest in gathering genea- logical information, and published two volumes of family history in 1991. He is survived by his wife, Em- ma Thomas of Shelton; a daughter, Patricia Joan Munts of Spokane; sons F. Nathan Thomas of Brain- bridge Island and Michael Berwyn Thomas ofLos Angeles, California; four granddaughters; and a brother, Alan B. Thomas of Tuc— son, Arizona. The Reverend Donald Maddux and the Reverend Albin Fogelquist officiated at a memorial service at Saint David’s Episcopal Church Wednesday morning, with inurn- ment at Shelton Memorial Park. Arrangements were by McComb and Batstone Funeral Home. 8/2 b/Waz, , OCR Text: ‘ Mason County historian Berwyn Thomas, 73, dies Dr. Berwyn Thomas Dr. Berwyn Brainerd Thomas, local historian and resident of Shelton since 1947, died August 14 at his home from the effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s sclerosis). He was 73. Dr. Thomas, born April 6, 1919 at Iowa City, Iowa, was the son of Floyd E. Thomas, who was serving with the U.S. Army in France, and Mary Elizabeth Brainerd Thomas. He attended schools in Iowa until 1929, and then in Tucson, Arizona. He was an Eagle Scout. He graduated with his bache- lor's degree in chemistry from the University of Arizona, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa, and earned his master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in 1942 and 1944 from the Institute of Paper Chemistry at Appleton, Wisconsin. During sum- mers, he worked in paper or pulp mills in several parts of the coun» try, including Longview, Washing- ton, in 1942. Hejoined theU,S.Navy in Janu- ary 1945, and attended training school for maintenance of radio and radar equipment. He then served as an instructor in the school until his discharge in July 1946. Dr. Thomas was employed atthe Central Chemical Laboratory, later the Olympia Research Divi- sion, of Rayonier, Incorporated in Shelton from January 1947 until his retirement in November 1980. He carried out various research projects in pulpmaking and bleaching, waste uses, conversion of pulp to rayon and related areas until 1957. From 1957 to 1972, he estab- lished and led a laboratory group for evaluation of papermaking quality of pulps, and from that time until 1980 he developed a Dr. Berwyn B. Thomas computer-based index system for company research documents and procedures for preserving those records. He was closely interested in the research library and company his- tory, and was author of several technical papers in industry publi- cations. He was also coinventor holding several patents. He was a member ofthe American Chemical Society and Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry. On May 27, 1950, Dr. Thomas was married at Framingham, Mas- sachusetts, to Captain Emma Joan Churlonis, a former member ofthe U.S. Nurse Corps. He was active in civic organizations, including the Shelton Junior Chamber of Com- merce, the Mason County Com- munity Concert Association, Shel- ton Yacht Club and Mason County Historical Society, serving as head of each organization at various times. He was a member of Saint David’s Episcopal Church and was for 20 years a Republican precinct committeeman. He was also a stamp collector and wrote some publications in this field, and he edited and published maps ofShel- ton. He served from 1984 to 1988 on the Shelton planning commit- tee. Dr. Thomas’ interest in history led to the writing of Shelton: The First Century, 1885-1985 for the Shelton~Mason County Journal’s special section to mark the city’s centennial. It was then published as a book in 1985 by the Mason County Historical Society. He con- tinued as editor and manager of the society’s publications program until recently. In 1991 he was named grand marshal of the Mason County Forest Festival, andin 1992 he was given the first Mason County Her- itage Award forhis part in preserv~ ing county history. Dr. Thomas also maintained a family interest in gathering genea- logical information, and published two volumes of family history in 1991. He is survived by his wife, Em- ma Thomas of Shelton; a daughter, Patricia Joan Munts of Spokane; sons F. Nathan Thomas of Brain- bridge Island and Michael Berwyn Thomas ofLos Angeles, California; four granddaughters; and a brother, Alan B. Thomas of Tuc— son, Arizona. The Reverend Donald Maddux and the Reverend Albin Fogelquist officiated at a memorial service at Saint David’s Episcopal Church Wednesday morning, with inurn- ment at Shelton Memorial Park. Arrangements were by McComb and Batstone Funeral Home. 8/2 b/Waz, , Mason County Genealogical Society,Obituaries,Obituaries for Shelton Cemetery,T Last Name,Thomas, Brewyn Brainerd.tif,Thomas, Brewyn Brainerd.tif, Thomas, Brewyn Brainerd.tif