Laura Ann Thomas

LAURA ANN THOMAS, age 81, of Bel Air, died in Lorien Riverside Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on July 17, 2003. Born in Patterson, New Jersey, she was the daughter of the late Charles Kreiger and the late Josephine Mozzella Carmen and was the wife of the late Anthony Robert “Bob” Thomas, Sr., a Cecil-Harford Counties Bowling Association Hall of Fame member whom she married in 1945. She and her husband raised their four children (Roberta, Vicki, Pam and Rob) in Harford County. She was raised by her mother and step-father, the late Mr. and Mrs. Ward Carmen.

While watching her family grow, now including 10 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren, Mrs. Thomas fell in love with the sport of bowling and became really involved in 1960. Even more than loving the sport, she had a real affection for the bowler and used her organizational skills and winning personality to keep the league member rewarded, enthused, involved and aware of the rules.

Many of Mrs. Thomas’ accomplishments came through her work and/or volunteer hours at Bel Air Bowl. She worked beside her late husband in the Bel Air Pro Shop, promoted and organized leagues and center tournaments and served as secretary for some the largest leagues in the county.

Mrs. Thomas was at the organizational meeting in October 1976 to form a youth program now known as the Cecil-Harford Young American Bowling Alliance and served on their first Board of Directors. She spent many Saturdays with the Bel Air Bowl youth league members as a volunteer coach.

In 1996, she was inducted into the Harford County Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame.

Mrs. Thomas is survived by a son, Anthony Robert Thomas, Jr. of Middletown; three daughters, Roberta L. Hough of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Pamela Jean Laury of Douglassville, Pennsylvania, Vicki A. Mentzer of Bel Air; a sister, Doris Weber of Stewart, Florida; 10 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be: Anthony Robert Thomas, Jr., Joe Watkin, John Laury, Colin Laury, Chris Perozick, and Carl Brannock.

Contributions may be made to Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, Inc., Maryland Chapter, 332 Center Quadrangle, 2 Hamill Road, Baltimore, MD 21210.