Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas, age 89, of Grants Pass, died Sunday, January 12, 2014 at Three Rivers Medical Center.

A celebration of life will be at 3:30 p.m., Friday, January 17, 2014 at Holiday Park Gardens, 1051 E Park Street, Grants Pass. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Remembrances may be made to Teach for America at www.teachforamerica.org.

Mark was born October 2, 1924 in Providence, Rhode Island. As a small child he moved with his family to Los Angeles, California. After graduating from Garfield High School he joined the United States Navy. He served in Guam, Iwo Jima, and Tinian Island. After his honorable discharge, he graduated from Stanford University in 1952 with a history degree and where he played football his freshman year. Immediately following his Stanford graduation, he worked as an official for the PGA Tour and knew all the greats including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan retiring in 1963. On March 26, 1963 in Conway, South Carolina he married Nancy Johnson and they later divorced. In 1964 he began managing waste disposal companies in Southern California for 15 years. In 1979 he moved to Portland, Oregon and managed waste disposal companies until 1983. After living in Montebello, California he moved to Grants Pass in 1999.

Mark was a member of the Grants Pass Duplicate Bridge Club.

His hobbies included golf, duplicate bridge, horse racing, woodworking, and reading especially history and philosophy. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Survivors include two daughters, Janie Duewel and Carrie Gragg both of Grants Pass, Oregon; two sisters, Alice Hovey of Los Angeles, California and Florence Snyder-Speck of Carmel & Palm Desert, California; five grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Linda Beringer.