Arlyne Faye Thomas

Arlyne Faye Thomas was born in a farm home in Rural Boyden Iowa, on January 11, 1937, to Richard and Viola Kruse.  She attended a country school for her elementary years, and later graduated from Boyden High School in 1954. From there she went on to attend Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and later completed her degree at Shelton College in Ringwood, New Jersey, with a degree in Music.

In June of 1955, she and Gordon Siebring were married in George, Iowa. Together they started a family and moved to numerous locations around the U.S.  The couple had two children, Gordie Jr and Karen.  In 1979, the couple divorced.

Arlyne was a music teacher from 1970 till her retirement in 1995 in Toledo, Ohio.  She also served as organist and choir director in numerous churches both in the Toledo area and in Colorado Springs/Woodland Park.  For many years, Arlyne offered private piano lessons for students of all ages.

Arlyne was a lover of music and enjoyed travel.  She made it to most of the lower 48 states as well as much of Europe.  She made more than a dozen summertime trips to Ukraine (taking many local people and relatives with her), to put on vacation bible schools for children in very remote rural Ukrainian villages.

In 1995 she married James Thomas of Temperance, Michigan. Both retired and chose to relocate to their dream home in Woodland Park, Colorado.  She was a very loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and forged many lifetime friendships in the numerous places she lived.

Arlyne passed away on March 19, 2025 at Mountain Shadows Assisted Living Facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Arlyne is preceded in death by her parents Richard and Viola, her Sister Laura Kruger, her brothers Lloyd, Waldo, and Aaron Kruse, both of her husbands, and a grandson Garret Daniel Siebring.

Services for Arlyne will be held on Tuesday March 25 at 1:00 at First Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Interment to follow at Woodland Park Cemetery, in Woodland Park, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Justice for All would be appreciated.  Funds will be directed to injured and orphaned children in Ukraine. Please go to jfa-nwiowa.org to donate and indicate Ukraine Children’s Fund on your donation. Alternatively, you can send a check to:

JFA
1335 Valley Drive
Rock Valley, IA  51247

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