Thomas

Nickolas "Nick" Thomas, 82, of Art-Lin Drive died Sunday at his home.

Born Nov. 2, 1925, in Charleroi, he was a son of the late Andrew and Anne Nichi Thomas.

Nick was a retired patrolman for the Butler Township Police Department. He was a graduate of the Police Academy and served as a police officer for 20 years from 1967 until his retirement in 1987.

Mr. Thomas was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served during World War II in England and Germany. Nick was a former boxer, and while stationed in Germany, he had the opportunity to spar against boxing champion, Joe Louis during a U.S.O. tour.

He was a member of the VFW Post 249 in Butler.

Nick loved solving and framing puzzles and was a self-taught TV repairman who had a reputation of being able to fix anything. Nick also loved music and dancing and enjoyed baseball, as he attended all of his grandson Ryan's games for years, and as also the favorite brother-in-law of Pat Smith, they were ultimate Pittsburgh Pirate fans.

Surviving are his wife, Bertiann Fohl Thomas, who he married Aug. 4, 1980; a daughter, Lorri (Mrs. Larry) Daniels of Meridian; a son, Nickolas C. Thomas of Clarkville, Tenn.; three grandchildren, Jennifer Daniels-Wells and her husband, John Wells, of Butler, Mrs. James (Christine) Armstrong of Aliquippa and Ryan (Amanda) Daniels of Butler; a sister, Marie Abbott of Clearwater, Fla.; five great-grandchildren, Trey and Jamie Armstrong, Marlee and Adalynn Daniels and Blake Wells; three stepsons and their wives, John and Lorelei Pringle, Brad Pringle, and Kevin and Miriam Pringle; a stepdaughter, Kathleen Pringle; and two step-grandchildren, Lisa Ellen and Thom Pringle. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive him.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Helen Frances Stokes Thomas, who died Oct. 7, 1979; an infant son, Nickolas J. Thomas; and one brother, Andrew Thomas.

<B>THOMAS </B>— Friends of Nickolas "Nick" Thomas, who died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St. Burial, with military honors accorded by the Ceremonial Honors Squad of the VFW Post 249 of Butler and the American Legion Post 778 in Lyndora, will follow at Greenlawn Burial Estates, Mount Chestnut.The St. Paul Guild and Christian Mothers will meet a 9:40 a.m. Thursday at the church to recite the rosary.The family requests memorial donations be made to the ARC of Butler County or the Hospice Program of the Butler Area VNA, 154 Hindman Road, Butler 16001.Additional information can be found and condolence messages placed at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.