Alta Thomas

Alta Thomas, age 100, of Loveland, Colorado and formerly of Lake Crystal, died Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at McKee Medical Center in Loveland.

Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at Zion Lutheran Church in Lake Crystal, with Rev. Nancy Dreier officiating. Burial will be in Cambria Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. on Monday at Lake Crystal Mortuary, and will continue one hour before service at church on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Alta was born April 13, 1909 to Norman and Marith (Carlson) Nelsen in Mission Hill, South Dakota. She was a 1931 graduate of Immanuel School of Nursing in Mankato. Alta was united in marriage to Earl Thomas in July of 1936. She was a private duty nurse for many years, and was also employed with Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital in Mankato as a Recovery Room nurse. Alta's church and faith were very important to her. She was a long time member of Zion Lutheran Church in Lake Crystal, where she participated in the Rachel Circle, the Tuesday Quilters, and Meals on Wheels. Alta enjoyed precious time spent with her granddaughters. She also enjoyed reading, baking, making lefse with her son-in-law, sewing, crocheting, and knitting. She knitted hundreds of stocking caps that were donated to local charities and baby caps for newborn infants.

Alta is survived by her daughter, Jean Ann (Greg) Walent of Loveland, CO; three granddaughters, Allison Walent of La Crosse, WI, Lindsay (Dan) Olson of North Mankato, and Chelsea Walent of Longmont, CO; two great-grandchildren, Austyn and Taylor Olson; also many close nieces and nephews whom she dearly cared for.

Alta was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Earl in 1971; four brothers and four sisters.