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Feb. 28, 1917 – Oct. 30, 2026
Gertrude Irene Markham Thomas, a longtime Rio Linda resident known to family and friends as Gertie, died of natural causes on Oct. 30, 2026, in Citrus Heights. She was 109.
At 105, Gertie was invited to throw out the first pitch at Rio Linda Little League’s opening ceremony. As her family tells it, the pitch was a little slow, but it made it over the plate. She loved listening to the Oakland A’s on the radio and never hesitated to tell a story about her own days playing forward on her high school basketball team.
Gertie was born in Roundup, Montana, the second child of Myrtle Leslie Markham and Lela Nichols Markham. Her family moved to Pullman, Washington, in 1928. While in high school, her friend Babe introduced her to twin brothers Floyd and Lloyd Thomas of Oregon. Gertie graduated in 1935 and married Floyd Melvin Thomas on Jan. 2, 1937, at the Eugene Methodist Church.
Gertie and Floyd lived in Waterloo, Oregon, where they had five children. They moved to Rio Linda in 1957 and continued raising their family there. They were married for 42 years, until Floyd’s death in 1979.
Gertie enjoyed gardening, sewing and baking cookies. She was always up for a game, whether it was cards, a puzzle or Nintendo. But her deepest commitment was to her faith, which she believed was meant to be lived throughout the week. She taught Sunday school for many years, collected pennies for Bible Couriers International and volunteered at Union Gospel Mission until she was 96. For years, she helped gather supplies, fill shoeboxes and send them off for Operation Christmas Child. Just days before she died, she asked to help fill a few more.
Gertie lived in Rio Linda until 2024, when a fall at age 107 made it difficult for her to continue living independently. She moved to Brookhaven Home Care in Citrus Heights. Her family is grateful to Claudia Artan and her children for the loving care they gave her there.
She is survived by four children: Carole Lee Goldman, James Earl Thomas (Faye), Donald Lloyd Thomas (Anita) and Paul Andrew Thomas (Junia); daughter-in-law Beverly Thomas; 10 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and 17 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd; her son, John Leslie Thomas; her son-in-law, David Goldman; her granddaughter, Melody Ann Andrews; her great-granddaughter, Kristin Andrews; her parents; her brother, Elden Markham; and her sisters, Margaret Opal Jones and Phyliss Kjonass.
When people asked Gertie the secret to a long life, she had a simple answer: “Trust in the Lord and be happy.”
Viewing: Friday, Nov. 13, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Mount Vernon Memorial Park and Mortuary, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks.
Memorial service: Saturday, Nov. 21, at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Elverta, 112 W. Delano St., Elverta. The family says the service will also be available on the church’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Union Gospel Mission, P.O. Box 1108, Sacramento, CA 95811, or Bible Couriers International, 1821 N. Zaragoza Road, Suite 207-307, El Paso, TX 79936.
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