Lois Ethyl Waala

Lois Ethyl Waala, age 81, passed away Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at her home in Missionary Acres. She was born April 15, 1940 in Carbondale, PA, the daughter of Fred Thomas and Leola (Smith) Thomas. Lois attended Moody Bible Institute where she met her future husband, Russell Waala. They were married April 9, 1960 in Jermyn, PA. She and her husband were missionaries to Japan for 38 years and had retired to Missionary Acres. She was active in the Wayne County Historical Society and was an ombudsman for the Area Agency on Aging in Wayne County.

Preceding her in death are her parents, Fred and Leola Thomas, one brother, Rev. Richard Thomas and his wife Marilyn, and one grandson, Aaron Waala.

Survivors include her husband, Russell Waala, of the home, three children, Sharon Ronan and her husband David, of Mt. Laurel, NJ, Brian Waala and his wife Sherri, of Gurnee, IL, Brenda Uechi, of Seattle, WA; two sisters, Virginia Fields, of Waco, TX, Trudy Mathewson and her husband George, of Carmel, NY, 7 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at the Morrison Funeral Chapel in Greenville with Rev. Jamie Hovis officiating. Steve Ronan gave the eulogy and Mariko Uechi gave a special tribute to their grandmother. Interment was Monday, October 18 at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield. Memorials have been requested to the Wayne County Historical Society or the Greenville Community Library.