Marion I. Thomas, 98, of Osceola, formerly of Shelby, died Sunday, June 26, 2005, at Osceola Good Samaritan Center.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Shelby, with the Rev. Jamie Norwich McLennan officiating. Burial is at the Shelby Cemetery. Visitation is from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Dubas Funeral Home in Osceola. Mr. Thomas was born June 2, 1907, in Farnam, to Fred and Ida (Fickel) Thomas. He attended rural schools near Brady. He moved to Shelby in the 1930s, where he worked as a mechanic.

He married Gladys Arbuck Sept. 28, 1931, in Belleville, Kan. In the 1940s he opened Thomas’ Garage in Shelby. He was an International Harvester dealer and a Mobil distributor. He also began doing custom cornpicking and hay bailing, which he continued until the 1980s. In 1950, they moved north of Shelby, where they farmed. He continued to operate the garage until 1998 when he retired. On Nov. 25, 1998, he moved to the Osceola Good Samaritan Center.

He was a participant at the church and was a member of the Shelby Volunteer Fire Department. He was the former mayor of Shelby. He enjoyed playing cards and hunting.

Survivors include one daughter, Margaret (LaVern) Boss of Shelby; one son, Larry Thomas of Shelby; two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Aug. 2, 1990, four brothers, three sisters and one great-grandson, Wyatt Grossnicklaus.