May 29, 1920 - Apr. 18, 2016
Date of Service: Apr. 30, 2016
William Bowen Thomas
BURLEY – William “Bill” B. Thomas, 95, of Chula Vista, Calif., and formerly of Burley, passed away Monday, April 18, 2016, at the Sunrise at Bonita Assisted Living in Chula Vista.
He was born May 29, 1920, in Castleford, Idaho, to William Warner and Laura Vivian (Taylor) Thomas. The family moved from Spanish Fork, Utah, to Burley, Idaho, when he was nine. There, he met the love of his life, Wave Young, and married her many years later. They enjoyed 30 years together. Bill and Wave did not have children together, but shared his only child, Gail Ann Thomas Westwood. The family grew with the addition of a son-in-law, LeRoy Westwood; and grandsons, Ronald (Cynthia) and William (Elizabeth).
Bill became a successful businessman in spite of not completing his high school education. He was one of the founders of the Big O Tire Corporation, which was formed in 1962. Throughout his career, he owned many Big O Tire stores in California and assisted many individuals in starting their own stores. He was admired by many and known as a man of integrity and honesty.
Always a hard worker, he owned several real estate properties over the years and preferred to maintain and improve them himself.
He has six great-grandchildren, Courtney (Michael) Mills, Lindsey, Evan, Amanda and Eliese. One of his greatest joys was meeting his first great-great-grandson, Jace Remington Mills, born April 7, 2014. Additionally, Bill has kept a close relationship with his sister-in-law and her husband, Gay and Fred Neiwert of Burley.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Rae; his beloved Wave; his parents; his sister, Barbara Thomas; brother, John Thomas, and sisters, Ellen Church and Geraldine Hanks.
The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends may call from 12 noon until 12:45 p.m. preceding the service. Officiating will be Pastor John Ziulkowski. Burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley.
