Ruth G. Thomas, a beloved member of the Tusculum College community for many years, passed away on July 19 after several years of declining health.
Mrs. Thomas was an integral part of the Tusculum Fine Arts Department for more than two decades with her husband, Dr. Arnold Thomas, and those decades were marked by the success of the well-respected choral program the couple established, which touched the lives of many. She was a mentor, role model and friend to a multitude of Tusculum students.
As a team, the Thomases directed the Tusculum College Singers, creating three choirs from a small group of singers: the mixed chorus, men’s chorus and women’s chorus. Mrs. Thomas accompanied the men’s and mixed choruses on piano and directed the women’s chorus. According to former students, Ruth was always calm and cheerful – a trait which was needed during last-minute rehearsals before choir tours.
Teaching such classes as music theory and history, she also found time to teach piano in a studio at Tusculum. Her students found she had high expectations and helped them achieve results that they had not thought possible. Her attention to detail in playing music was not just valuable in regards to piano, but also one that benefited her students later in life.
She retired as a faculty member in 1988, but continued to teach students privately. She became a member of the Tusculum College Community Chorus after it was formed in the 1990s and continued until just a few years ago when her health began to decline.
In 2003, she and her husband were honored by the Tusculum Alumni Association with the National Faculty Award for their contributions to the College. Several former students returned to campus to take part of the celebration, joining members of the Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church Choir to sing in the Thomas’ honor. Although in failing health, Mr. Thomas was able to attend the celebration held during Homecoming. He passed away in 2008.
In 2012, Mrs. Thomas was presented with the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor presented by the Tusculum College Board of Trustees, in recognition of what she has meant to the College over the years.
Dr. Kenneth Bowman '70, chair of the Tusculum Board of Trustees, left, and Dr. Nancy B. Moody, right, Tusculum's president, presented Distingyuished Service Awards to Dr. David Hendricksen, second from left, and Ruth Thomas, second from right, and Jim Winfree at the 2012 President's Dinner. Winfree was unable to attend due to a prior engagement.
Her love of music began early in life. Mrs. Thomas was born in Alton, Ill., just outside St. Louis, on June 21, 1920, to (ordained Presbyterian) Rev. Dr. Edward L. and Anna Catherine Gibson. The family, including Ruth’s younger brother, Bill, moved to Storm Lake in northwest Iowa. There she played violin in the orchestra in her teens and did “a lot of piano accompanying” before attending Buena Vista College in Storm Lake for two years. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of Kansas in Lawrence in 1941 with a bachelor of music degree in piano. One of her teachers was Donald Swarthout. She credited her passion for music to her junior high orchestra director and her high school piano teacher.
After graduating, she taught music in grades 1-12 in Southerland, Iowa, and in Wisconsin for three years. She moved to New York City and worked as a file clerk during World War II. She was briefly married to a naval officer.
Following the war, she resumed her studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., just north of downtown Chicago, and studied with Louis Crowder. There she met fellow masters student and WWII Army officer veteran, Arnold Thomas, and the two of them hit it off as they finished their degrees. Mr. Thomas was hired by Lake Forest College in nearby Lake Forest into the music department and he later brought Ruth into the department where they remained for 16 years, marrying in 1951. Ruth directed a madrigal group from which she took great joy. Mr. Thomas completed his doctorate in music history in 1962, at Columbia University.
Weary of northern Illinois’ ice and snow (among other things), Dr. Thomas accepted a position in the music department at Mount Saint Mary’s College in Los Angeles. After a near-fatal auto accident on the move to California in August of 1962, the family, now with three sons, Jerry, Arnie, Jr., and Bill continued to their new home and remained for two happy years. Mrs. Thomas was a stay-at-home mom in 1962-63. During their second year in California, Mrs. Thomas became organist at Pacoima Presbyterian Church, where her husband served as the choir director. The family enjoyed California, traveling to San Francisco, Sequoia, and Yosemite National Parks, where they camped at 7,000 feet and shared their food (involuntarily) with a large bear although the family was afraid Mrs. Thomas was about to tackle the bear singlehandedly, she was so enraged. (She didn’t).
Concerned about his aging parents back in Indiana and turned off by the rat race of southern California freeways, Dr. Thomas reached out in 1964 and accepted the music department chairmanship at Tusculum College. He was soon promoted to Dean of the College in 1965, which he held for a year (turning down a push to become college president) during a period of much transition at the school. In those days, the “department” was located in the basement of the old college library. By 1965, the newly constructed Annie Hogan Byrd fine arts building was finished and the music, history, art and drama departments occupied the brand new facility, where Dr. Thomas was elevated to Chairman of the Fine Arts Department. In addition to her teaching duties, Mrs. Thomas was a member of the choir at First Presbyterian Church.
A lover of madrigal singing groups, in 1969, Mrs. Thomas organized the Greater Greeneville Choral with around 20 members. Starting with Tusculum students, she branched out into the community as well. The group presented Christmas and spring concerts for 26 years until 1995.
Her greatest joy was directing madrigal singers or community choral groups. For years, the Greeneville group would follow her home after the Christmas concert to a wonderful supper catered by the late Ann Gaut.
She also joined Mr. Thomas at Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the late 60s, where he directed the Chancel Choir and she accompanied and sang in the choir for over 30 years. She also in the Handbell Choir at the church and became organist for some 14 years.
Mrs. Thomas joined the Psi Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society in the fall of 1969 and remained an active, viable member for a number of years. She was always willing to play the piano for the group on a minute’s notice, serve on committees, and assist her sisters in every way possible.
She served as president of the Tennessee Music Teacher’s Association from 1981-1983. She served as State Auditions Chairman for 25 years and held many positions within the state. She was a charter member of state Appalachian Music Association in Johnson City, which was formed in 1972. From this, the Smokey Mountain Music Association was formed in Greeneville. Despite her busy schedule, Mrs. Thomas also found time to participate in Greeneville’s Little Theatre production of “The Sound of Music”.
In 2010, she was presented with the Tennessee Music Teachers Association’s Distinguished Service Award.
Mrs. Thomas and her husband loved to travel, whether to Indiana to visit family or to the beach in South Carolina. In 1982, the couple took a on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe, and later traveled to Canada, New York, Texas and Colorado.
She was known as a consummately kind person who held her tongue with criticism – and yet fearlessly spoke up when she felt strongly about an issue. She was a compassionate mother to her sons, one of whom was lost in 1972 to cancer, an adoring wife, generous with compliments when deserved, the best listener, and a supremely thoughtful individual.
Survivors include: two sons, Jerry and Bill Thomas; daughter in law: Walker Thomas; and Bill and Walker’s daughters: Georgia and Tessa of Berryville, Virginia; a sister-in-law: Judy Gibson of Ithaca, New York; special nieces and nephews and their spouses: Anna Gibson, Deborah and Ron Jaworski, Steven Gibson, and Don and Linda Goffinet; Wesley Thomas, Larry Thomas, Pam and Bill Crowe; a special great neice: Julie Crowe; a special great nephew: Tom Crowe; and special cousins: Jack and Jim Haddan.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a Tusculum College endowment fund, initiated by two of Arnie and Ruth Thomas’ former students. Ann and Bill Westervelt ’71’69 have established the Ruth and Arnold Thomas Endowed Music Fund. The Westervelts have generously agreed to match gifts to the endowment until fully endowed. The corpus will remain intact, with the earnings going to support the Tusculum Community Chorus or to a future Tusculum College choral group. Memorials to this endowment fund should be made to Tusculum College with the memo line indicating it is for the Ruth and Arnold Thomas Endowed Music Fund. Send contributions to Tusculum College, Office of Institutional Advancement, P.O. Box 5040, Greeneville, TN 37743.
Memorials may be made to the Tennessee Music Teachers Association Endowment Scholarship Fund in memory of Ruth G. Thomas, c/o Deane Gray, deanegray@gmail.com.