Thomas, Leslie

RD2 LESLIE S. THOMAS 19 February 1954

Leslie S. Thomas was born 10 April 1934, at Montezuma, Kansas. He had four sisters and one step-brother.

“Tom” to some, “Les” to others, and “slush-fund man” to a few, was very well liked aboard U.S.S. FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754) where he served as a radarman until 1957. He was a good friend to fellow radarman Charles “Chuck” Swengel who, after service, visited Tom at the Amoco gas station that he owned.

In 1958, Tom married Nancy A. Mallory. In 1966 they moved to Dodge City, Kansas where Tom was the owner of Les’ U-Haul. They had two children: son Scott of Dodge City, and daughter Leslie Ann Thomas of Wichita. Both Scott and Leslie Ann’s Jr. high school principal was named Frank E. Evans.

On Sunday March 7, 1982, Leslie S. Thomas died of an apparent heart attack. According to his wife, Les had not had any apparent physical problems, but he was overweight, smoked, and was always in a high stress job. He was a member of the First Christian Church, the American Legion, and the VFW, all of Dodge City.

In 1998, Nancy Thomas’ address was P.O. Box 333, Sedgwick, KS. Scott was owner of Sedgwick Body Shop in Sedgwick, KS, and Leslie Ann was married, living in Galva, KS.