Janis Elizabeth Thomas' Obituary
Janis Elizabeth Thomas was a loving wife, a caring mother, a beloved sister, aunt, niece, grandmother, cousin and friend. Janis was honest, kind-hearted and filled with boundless joy and grace. Though she was not in the military, she was definitely a soldier.
Janis was born to Victor Edward and Esther Elizabeth Richardson, on March 15, 1957 in Oakland, and was the first of her seven siblings to be born in California.
Janis was a successful career woman, who began working immediately after graduating from Skyline High School. She began working at the Franchise Tax Board, where she met and fell in love with her husband Harold Thomas. At the time, the Franchise Tax Board did not allow “office relations,” so Janis chose love over a job and resigned from her position at the FTB, and married Harold on January 1, 1976.
Janis’ next job was with the State of California, for the Department of Health. She worked in both Berkeley and Richmond, CA, where she retired in October 2016 as the Facilities Manager.
Janis loved working in her garden, watching the cooking channel, being with her grandchildren, and from time to time playing Bid Whist with family and friends. She could run a Boston on you before you had time to trash talk!
Despite her own health discomforts, she wore the hat of caregiver, for her husband, mother, and aunt, prior to their passing. She loved you through the good, the bad, the ugly, and knew how to get her point across. When needed, she could lay hands on you.
Janis and Harold shared 34 amazing years of marriage together. They raised three phenomenal children, Michelle, Harold, Jr. and Matthew.
Janis made her transition peacefully at home, in the same room as her beloved husband, Harold, on January 14th 2017. She is survived by her son’s, Harold Christopher Thomas Jr., Matthew Alan Thomas, and daughter Michelle Denise Thomas-Armstrong; grand-children Meilani, Jade, Cynara, Christopher, Harold III and Malakai; sister Lona Marie Whitten, brothers Victor Edward Richardson, Kevin Michael Richardson, Craig Allen Richardson, Mark David Richardson, and Daren Patrick Richardson, all of Oakland, CA. She also leaves numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, who all loved her dearly. May God bless her energetic soul, and may her memories continue to bring smiles to our faces now and always.
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