Harriet R. Thomas

Harriet Reifenrath Thomas, 85, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 7th, 2017 after a struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Harriet was born December 9, 1931 in Crofton, Nebraska to John H. Reifenrath and Bertha Gerlach Reifenrath. Harriet graduated from St. Bonaventure High School in Columbus, Nebraska on May 29th, 1949 and went on to attend St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in Lincoln, Nebraska - graduating on September 5, 1952 at 20 years of age. She was not legally eligible to receive her RN until the age of 21 - which she did that December.  After Nursing School, Harriet attended St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas and graduated in May 1956 with a Bachelor of Science.  St. Scholastica is known today as Benedictine College. In 1956, after graduating from college, Harriet joined the Navy as a nurse with her lifelong friend, Valerie Peter. The two were stationed together in St. Albans, Long Island, NY.  Harriet always spoke fondly of these years in New York and remembered them as an exciting time period in her life - her first experience in a big city far away from the life she had known in the midwest. After two years Harriet retired from the Navy with an honorable discharge.  In 1958 Harriet moved to Washington DC, taking a job at Georgetown Hospital.  While in Washington, she met her future husband, Henry Vaughn Thomas.  They were married at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown, Washington DC on November 28, 1959. Henry and Harriet purchased a home on Kincaid Lane in Bowie, Maryland in 1962. They had three children, 2 daughters and a son, who were raised in the home.  Harriet remained in this house for 50 years until she moved to Ginger Cove retirement community in Annapolis, Maryland. She always spoke very fondly of her little yellow house on Kincaid Lane as it held a lifetime of memories for her. After her youngest child matriculated to first grade, Harriet began her studies to obtain a Master’s of Science in Nursing from Catholic University, graduating on May 10, 1975. Harriet worked hard to complete her Master’s degree while also raising three young children. Her husband, Henry, was so proud of her for this and made sure their children understood what an accomplishment it was. They all remember proudly cheering her on as she received her diploma.  After receiving her Master’s in Psychiatric Nursing, Harriet worked at a number of entities in the Washington, DC area, including Washington Hospital Center, Prince George’s County Hospital and the American Psychiatric Association. Harriet is survived by her three children, Jean Thomas Snyder (Steve) of Princeton, NJ; Diane Thomas Woronoff (Bobby) of Raleigh, NC; and John Spalding Thomas (Dawn) of Crofton, MD.  She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Alex and Elizabeth Snyder of Princeton, NJ; Sarah and Caroline Woronoff of Raleigh, NC and Annie and Emilie Thomas of Crofton, MD.  Nothing brought Harriet more joy than to be with her family.