Vera B. (Carlson) Thomas, daughter of Ragnar "Tom" and Betty (Liljegren) Carlson, was born August 10, 1929 at rural Badger, South Dakota. She grew up and attended rural school near Badger and then worked in the Badger Café. Vera also worked for several farm families before her marriage to Arthur "Gene" Thomas on February 18, 1950 near Badger. They farmed in the Badger area before moving into Lake Norden in 1963. Vera clerked at Spencer's Grocery and also worked at Mr. G's from 1976 to 1993. She then worked at Andrews Café until her retirement in 2005. Vera died on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown at the age of 85 years. She attended Badger Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Lake Norden. She enjoyed baking, embroidery work, bowling and was an avid Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins fan. Grateful for having shared her life are her daughter Janet Andrews of Lake Norden; her son Gary Thomas of Clear Lake, SD; two grandchildren, John Andrews and his wife Michelle of Yankton, SD, Patti Johnson and her husband Eric of Watertown; two great grandchildren Joseph and Elizabeth Andrews; two brothers, Melvin Carlson and his wife June and Floyd Carlson and his wife Norma, all of Lake Norden; one sister Dorothy Strande and her husband Bud of Lake Preston, SD; two sisters-in-law JoAnn Carlson of Brookings and Joy Thomas of Ellensburg, WA; and a host of other relatives and friends. Vera was preceded in death by her husband Gene on March 24, 1987; her parents; two brothers, LeVerne "Ole" Carlson, LeRoy Carlson; one sister Delores Menzel; and her son-in-law Frank Andrews. Her funeral service will be 2:00 PM Saturday, March 21, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lake Norden. Visitation will be from 4PM to 7PM Friday at Geise Funeral Chapel in Lake Norden.