Aldene Cadez Thomas was born in Lark, Utah on December 3, 1919 and she earned her angel’s wings on March 1, 2021. She was the daughter of Joseph and Sophie Subic Cadez, both emigrants from Slovenia.
Aldene grew up in the Spring Canyon coal camps of Rains and Standardville. She began school at the age of five and graduated from Carbon High School. She served for a time as the Postmistress at the Spring Canyon Post Office. She met and married Melvin Thomas in the spring of 1937 and in 1945 she and Melvin moved into a home in Carbonville, where she remained until her passing.
In 1958 Aldene graduated from the nursing program at the College of Eastern Utah. She worked as a nurse at the Carbon Hospital for many years until she retired to care for her aging mother. Embarking on a second career, she spent 25 years as a volunteer at the Western Mining and Railroad Museum in Helper. Aldene was recently honored by the museum with the dedication of a permanent exhibit which features excerpts from her life’s story as a means of describing what life in the area was like during that period of time. The printed version of her life story, which is written in her own words, is on display in the exhibit. Aldene has received several honors and commendations for her volunteer work, including from the Helper City Mayor and from the governor of the State of Utah.
Aldene had a clear view of changes during her lifetime. She witnessed the first radios and telephones in Spring Canyon, man’s first walk on the moon, the advent of the computer age and self-driving cars. Achieving centenarian status, Aldene wondered what changes the world would see in the next 100 years.
Aldene attributed her good health and longevity to good genes, clean living and healthy eating habits. She has been active all of her life and she loved to participate in yoga and line dancing at the local Senior Center two or three times a week until a leg surgery sidelined her at the age of 99.
The opening lines of her life story summarizes her life best: “I am thankful for the hard times, as they made me appreciate the good times; for the worries along the way as they made me pray more; for the good health that I have had; for the many friends I’ve made along the way; for having caring relatives but most of all I am thankful for my wonderful family.”
Aldene will be greatly missed by her family and by the many friends “she made along the way.”
She is survived by two sons, Lynn (Nancy), Spring Glen, Utah, Max (Linda), Spring Branch, Texas; eight grandsons and one granddaughter, and two step-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Melvin V. Thomas; sister, Sylvia Cadez, Helper; brothers, Stanley and Max Cadez, both of Price.
Funeral services are pending.
Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories of Aldene online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.