Marcella Thomas
Lubbock, Texas – Marcella Evangeline Frisbie Thomas, 76, passed away January 22, 2013 at University Medical Center, Lubbock, Texas. Memorial service for Mrs. Thomas will be Sunday, January 27, 2013 at Lubbock’s First Baptist Church with pastors, Bobby Dagnel, John Ballard and Ken Draughon officiating.
Marcella was born March 2, 1936 in Hawley, Pennsylvania to Winifred Ramsey Frisbie and William Leslie Frisbie. She has been a resident of Lubbock, Texas for 45 years. She married Orlan E. Thomas, Associate Professor of Music Emeritus, Texas Tech University School of Music, August 25, 1962 in Hawley, Pennsylvania. The couple just celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary this past August.
She was preceded in death by infant daughter Bernita Ruth Thomas, mother and father, brother Walter Frisbie of Hawley, Pennasylvania, sisters, Florence Brown of Hawley, Pa. and Virginia Saunders of Beltsville, Maryland.
Survivors include husband, Orlan E.Thomas of Lubbock, son, Marlan Paul Thomas & daughter in law, Starr of Roswell, New Mexico, twin daughters, Anita Cranford and Jolita Holasek & son in law Jason, both of Norman, Oklahoma, one brother, Arthur Frisbie of Brodheadsville, Penna. as well as ten grandchildren: Austin Cranford, Alexis and Taylor Vance, Tristin and Izabella Holasek, Sierra, Ethan, Autumn, Aiden and Erin Thomas.
She holds a diploma from Philadelphia Biblical University, recently renamed Cairin University, a Bachelor of Music from Houghton College in Houghton, New York in 1961 and the Master of Music degree in Applied Voice from the School of Music, Texas Tech University in 1976. She was a visiting instructor of Voice in the Texas Tech School of Music for one year and taught for six years at Sias International University in Xinzheng, China where she taught oral English, Voice, Music Literature and Art History, the latter two under the auspices of Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas.
She was soprano soloist with Back To The Bible Broadcast out of Lincoln, Nebraska during her 1st two years of marriage and taught public school music for two years in Rochester, New York during her husband’s doctoral study at the Eastman School of Music. Marcella was an integral member of the family music group, “The Thomas Family Musicians” which was begun in 1980 for a partnership mission to Germany and again for the summer of 1981 when the family was asked to return for the entire summer to help begin a new ministry in the neighboring community of Preetz for which the family helped make contacts with their music and helped prepare a building to house the new ministry. She was a charter member of Lubbock Choral and the area Singing Women of West Texas, singing with that group starting in 1994. She was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church Choir from 1976 until her health prohibited her participation. She was a composer of sacred songs including “Hymns From the High Places” from poetry of Hanna Hanard and, of special note is the school song she wrote for Sias International University named, “Sias in Our Heart.” Her lady’s-voice choral arrangement of the hymn, “And Can It Be” is in the current repertoire of “The Singing Women” who will present it in her honor at her memorial service.
Marcella was a born-again Christian having accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior at an early age and served Him faithfully all these years. She served the Lord at First Baptist Church Lubbock for 36 years and is a member of the Jess Stiles Sunday School Department and the Good Samaritan Sunday School Class under the awesome teaching of James Stevenson and Sherry Anderson. Marcella loved working with Internationals which she did for many years at First Baptist Church in a program called, “Touch” (Teaching Others Using Christian Principles) as well as during her time in China where she had awesome opportunities to share the Lord with students. She was instrumental in the writing of a 2-year cycle of Bible studies in simple English for internationals all of which she recorded and had printed in eight quarter booklets for distribution. Her international students were encouraged to use these similtaneously to improve their English as well as to learn God's word.
Special appreciation is expressed to the Southwest Cancer Center of University Medical Center and, Marcella’s oncologist, Dr. Cobos as well as his untiring nurse, Lena Lopez. Also appreciated was the end-time care given in the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit of the University Medical Center by its compassionate and caring nurses. Marcella was a faithful wife and mother and was indeed a trooper, battling Multiple Myeloma cancer for four years from December, 2008.
Mrs. Thomas chose to donate her body to Texas Tech University Health Sciences for Multiple Myeloma cancer research.
The family may be greeted on Saturday evening January 26, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Emeritus Elmbrook Estates Assisted Living at 5301 66th Street (directly behind Hobby Lobby).
The memorial service will be at First Baptist Church, Lubbock, Tx at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, January 27. The church is at 2201 Broadway, Lubbock 79401.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in her honor to either, First Baptist Church Global Missions Offering at 2201 Broadway, Lubbock, Texas 79401, or The Singing Women of West Texas % Janice Shults Treasurer, 2401 CR 490, Brownfield, Tx. 79316. Anyone wishing to send flowers should have them delivered to the church on Friday the 25th before 5:00 p.m or, directly to the Elmbrook address above. To join the family in alternate celebration of Marcella’s life, please go to website, marcellathomasmemorial.forevermissed.com to leave a message.
