Shelley Thomas

Shelley Lynne (Hughes) Thomas, 68, passed away peacefully at her home in Spanish Fork, Utah after a four-year battle with leukemia.



Shelley was born on March 28th 1950 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the beloved daughter of James Carol and Evelyn Elnore Reed Hughes. As a young girl her family spent several years in London, Ontario, and later settled in Calgary, Alberta, where Shelley spent the majority of her youth. She graduated from Aberhart High School in 1968 and began her studies at BYU the following year. In 1971, she married Danny Lee Ferguson, and then graduated from BYU in 1974, already a mother of one. After having another baby girl, they moved to Virginia, where Shelley was blessed with two more children. Shelley was an especially loving and dedicated mother to her own children and to many "adoptees" along the way.



In 1992, she moved back to Provo, Utah to pursue her teaching credentials at BYU. She certified to teach Special Education, and in 1994 she moved to a farm in Lakeshore, Utah. Shelley and Danny amicably divorced in 1995 and she began teaching full-time. In 1996, she married Randy Phil Edwards, who passed away five years later. In 2003, Shelley moved to Spanish Fork. On March 3, 2007, she married James Henry Oliver Kerwood Thomas, Jr. The two of them have been residents of Spanish Fork ever since.



Throughout her life Shelley has been a dedicated and caring teacher. After moving to Utah, she was prompted to walk into a special education seminary building near BYU, where she was offered a teaching job. This began a life-long love of helping and teaching children with special needs. She taught self-contained special education and later transitional kindergarten classes at Brockbank Elementary in Spanish Fork for many years. She had a deep love for her students.



In her youth, Shelley was an active and happy young lady. She was an accomplished water skier and loved badminton, curling, swimming, fishing, and ice skating. Shelley was a cheerleader in high school and later in life enjoyed dancing with Jean's Golden Girls. At the age of 16, Shelley and her family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which she was an active temple-going member until her death. She held callings in the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary organizations but her favorite time was working with her Beehives and Activity Days girls. Shelley had a very loving heart and often reached out to those who were forgotten by others.



Shelley is survived by her husband James Henry Thomas; children Heather Humpherys (Aaren), Allison Ferguson, Adam Ferguson, Sandy Oughton (Charles); step-children Amanda Thomas, Samantha Booth (Gregory); and grandchildren Jonathan Humpherys, Sarah Humpherys, Daniel Humpherys, Krystalyn Booth, Cristian Cruz, Alma Cruz, and Dalila Santiz. She was preceded in death by her parents James and Evelyn Hughes and her only sibling James Clifford Hughes.



Funeral services will be held Monday at 12 p.m. at the Meadowlark 2nd Ward Chapel at 1661 South 1400 East, Spanish Fork, Utah. A viewing will be held at the chapel just prior to the funeral from 10-11:45 a.m.. Shelley will be laid to rest at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.



The family would like to thank all the nurses, physician assistants, doctors, IV Center and hospice personnel that have cared for her in the course of her illness.