The Thomas Family

Linda, Gordon, Helen, Stephen, Patricia and Wayne in front of the Idylwood house about 1969

The Thomas family was a tremendous influence on my life. Helen and Gordon shared the Roberts Street house with my family and my grandparents in the 1946-1949 era.

Linda was nine months younger than me but was more like a sister than a cousin. With respect to my family I was an only child for my first six years, but living with the Thomases sorta messed that up since Linda and I were like siblings. She was certainly my constant playmate in those years.

Another Thomas Family Photo. This is in the Thomas kitchen/breakfast area. Gordon and Helen are standing on the left while Terry and mom are on the right. Seated: Linda Patrick (a neighbor)),Linda, Wayne, Patricia, Stephen and Janice. This has the earmarks of being taken during my dad’s time in the Philippines,

Gordon and Helen were like second parents to Janice, Terry and me. It was the same situation with my folks and the Thomas kids. The adults were aligned on beliefs, proper behavioral standards and discipline so we could not ‘work’ them to get what we wanted.

I don’t recall which family bought a house on Idylwood first, but from ‘52 through ‘62 we lived one house apart.

Uncle Gordon Thomas separated from the Army Air Corps (where he had served as a telephone specialist) at Fort Bliss in El Paso. How he transitioned from Okinawa to Fort Bliss is unclear.

The US Army gave him train fare from El Paso to Beaumont because Beaumont is where he entered the Army.

He and three or four other guys got to the train station to find out that the next train east would be three days later. They creatively pooled their train fares and hired a taxi!!! Some cab driver agreed to drive these guys 800 miles on dodgy roads (and then return to El Paso on his own nickel).

Gordon was in a hurry to get back to Beaumont and marry Helen.