The Sidney herald., 1955-03-17
Toni ny ulogizes
Herb Thomas
Chas. Hurry, Editor
Sidney Herald
Dear Charlie,
"a THE SIDNEY HERALD
@1 Thursday Mar. IL. 1855

frequent" accounts in your paper
of the passing of old friends. /
have sat in deep thought the past
hour living again with many of
those people. Today it was the
account of the deaths Of Herb
Thomas and Roy Heiner. I feel
that both of them deserve more
space in your good paper but
especially do 1 feel that way about
Herb.
It hardly seems right to let so
many people pass with so little
noted of their past, and yet, that's
the way of the world. You al
ways do an excellent job, Charlie,
and there isn't much to be done
about it. If l car express just a
little of the feeling 1 have in my
heart maybe it will be well I'M
derSt0od by oldtimers and a bit
Informative to the newer genera
tons.
Herb Thomas loved Montana.
Most of his time was spent, with
IN her borders, in "giving" of
himself to his fellowmen and his
family. He came in 1906 to help,
as an engineer, build the Lower
Yellowstone Irrigation Project. In
a recent letter (by recent l mean
1950) Herb said, Il still carry the
picture of Vie that was sent to be
by Fred Talbot about three
months before 1 went to Montana
and he wrote on it, You would
like to waltz with this girl, her
name is Vie Stewart. Well
Herb came out from Maine and
married her. She is the daughter
of Neil Stewart, now deceased, a
pioneer whose own story of hard
ship. pioneering, help and broth
erly love to his neighbors should
be recorded in a historical collec-
ton about the development of that
section of Montana.
1 knew Herb since his first ar
rival in Montana. 1 was only a
kid who stood back and admired
those early settlers and builders,
yet, / knew their lives and ac-
tons pretty well. In later years,
after the first world war, I work.
ed for Herb on the survey of Rich
land county. He was an exemplary
character. He never thought of
himself but was willing to help
others at all times and did, often.
His Brothers Keeper" idea was
expressed by the many trips he
made with gifts to the needy, help
to some family in distress or sick
ness. His neighbors always shared
in any blessing that came to the
Thomas family including the fine,
high spirits of both Herb and Vie.
They raised a fine family and so
deep was the love of Montana that
one child was named Montana
Thomas. The spirit of Montana, a
rule and guide to all that is good
and wholesome between humans,
is being spread over this land by
six wonderful children, grown
now and with many children of
their own. Frank, a doctor, Tana
(MOntana) a nurse, Caroline, Car
Oline, married and with four love-
~ children, Della, who lost
a husband in the Pacific, now
married again, Herb, Jr., and
Merna. Al have families of their
own and are especially successful.
I record this briefly from data 1
have IN a letter from Herb in
1850.
Herb and Vie took an active
part in all affairs of the commu-
nifty that were for its betterment.
When Herb was captain of Co. A
of the National Guard and was
rated as the top company at the
summer encampments, he would
spend his evenings, after hard
days at drill or maneuvers, dress
ing the feet of "his" soldiers. He
took a mothers care of many kids
from Sidney who belong to Co.
A. And when he left, to return to
Maine, and the members Of the
Co. gave him a sabre and belt q
had nearly forgotten the gift) l
can still remember that there were
few, if any, dry eyes among that
group that had such deep respect
and love for him.
SO, please accept these few re-
marks about my very dear friend,
who, like so many other old pio-
neerS, both living and dead, have
done so much toward building the
progress and undying spirit that
Elves" only in the hearts of those
who know and feel the real "Mon-
tana."
/ wish I could give a list of the
people from that community,
Charlie. who r surely listed in
some Hall of Fame" somewhere
who lived and practiced the Col
den Rule" of life. The doctor who
risked his life many times, with
out thought of pay, to save a life,
the neighbor who answered a
neighbours call for help, the total
population contributing food, work
and time, unselfishly, to build a
community hall, a road or a
school. Sometimes the application
of the teaching of Love one an
other,,' "Love they Neighbor" and
DO unto Others" was so purely
and unthinkingly practiced that
it has left a legend of the Esprit
of Montana"
So, Herb, may 1 promise you
that the good you have done lives
on ana you Vie, and your Won
derful folks, the Stewards, and SO
very many others - names ]
think of - to list would be droll,