Leona B. Thomas

Ms Thomas attended Esquella Boarding School as a child, in Tucson, AZ. There she learned to play saxaphone and piano while in elementary school. While attending Coolidge High School she played sax in the marching band.
She started her career after attending Lamson business schoool. She worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for many years before retiring. She became a tribal councilwoman serving three terms and spanning nine years. Her career was spent serving families in the Gila River Community. She currently was a board member with the Sun Valley Marina Corporation which oversees Firebird Lake and Bonderank Performance School of Driving. She was knowon for her piano playing and played at the Baptist and Presbyterian churches through the Gila River Community and many surrounding churches that needed her. She also helped instruct and form choirs for thos same churches. She was a member of the AZ Council for the Aging and the Inter-Tribal Council for the Aging. Much of her time was spent at the Senior Cntr in Blackwater, making tortillas on Thursdays and arts and crafts on other days, to help with fundraising to support projects and trips. She was also a member of the Ira Hayes Post Women?s Auxillary along with being an honorary member of the Gila River Youth Council. She had no children herself but raised five children including 3 nieces and 1 nephew.

A Visitation will be held on Friday, December 23, 2006 from 3-5 PM at The Goverance Center in Sacaton, AZ. A 2nd Visitation will follow at the Boys & Girls Club in Sacaton from 6-10 PM.
Services will be held on Saturday, December 23, 2006 at 8:00 AM at Blackwater Baptist Church.
Burial will be held at Squawbush Cemetery