Ingeborg "Inge" Thomas

Inge grew up in Darmstadt, Germany. Her father, Heinrich was on the German National Swimming Team in the 1920s, so swimming was important to the family and was a sport they all enjoyed. Heinrich was even on the German Water Polo team for the 1936 Olympics. Inge had an older brother Richard (1930-2014) and a younger sister, Charlotte (b.1942). In everyone’s life, there are defining events. Sometimes these are traumatic and change you forever. Living through World War II in Germany meant surviving total war. Inge’s father Heinrich, drafted into the German Army, was MIA and presumed dead, in Ukraine in 1944. Inge was 14 when she lost her father. Allied forces observed no restrictions on bombing targets. Germany was bombed mercilessly without any regard for the lives of women, children or the elderly. On the night of September 11, 1944, Inge’s city, Darmstadt was firebombed with white phosphorus bombs and completely destroyed. At least 25,000 civilians were killed in that one night. Inge and her family, were the only surviving tenants of the six story apartment building where they lived. Overnight, they became homeless refugees with nothing but the clothes they wore. Walking to Lake Konstanz (Bodensee), to leave the cities and additional hardships, the family was separated. Each labored on different farms for food and shelter. After two years of this, Inge was reunited with her family and returned to Darmstadt. She learned sewing from an order of nuns that she also worked for following her time as a refugee. She was a master seamstress and could make anything out of fabric, including complicated wedding gowns. Inge had a facility for languages, and studied to be an interpreter. She was fluent in German (of course), English, French and spoke some Italian and Russian.

Her life changed when she met Norman Thomas, an American soldier, stationed in Germany in 1950. They were married two years later, and in 1952, Inge moved with her husband to the United States. They were stationed at Ft.Lewis, Washington. Their son Richard was born there in 1955. The family moved several times over the next 16 years: France, Germany, St.Louis, and finally stabilizing in Denver in 1968. Inge went to work at Silver State Cleaners, starting as a counter-clerk. She worked her way up to store manager, and then Vice-President, a job she held for many years. After retiring from Silver State Cleaners, Inge never content in idleness, went to work running and managing independent postal services until the age of 82 when, exhorted by her son, she retired from the workforce permanently. She loved living in her home at the Waterford. After Norman’s death in 2003, she lived there with her sister Charlotte (Charlie).

She died peacefully in her home, on June 28, 2025, surrounded and cared for by her sister Charlie, Daughter-in-law, Terry and son Rick. She is survived by son Rick (Terry) Thomas, two grandsons, Richard (Elizabeth) Thomas, Miles Thomas and four great grandchildren William, Charles, Augusta and Julia; her sister Charlotte (Charlie), and numerous nieces and nephews.

She will be entombed at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.