OBITUARY

Glenna Rae White (Na) Thomas, 82, went to be with the love of her life, our dad, on September 26th, in Grand Junction, Colorado after a brief illness.

Glenna was born on July 20, 1942, in Hotchkiss, Colorado to Frank Bates and Clarabelle Short Bates. She spent most of her childhood in Colorado before moving to Moab, UT to attend high school where she fell in love and married a tall cowboy named Tommy White. In the early years Tommy worked for Charlie Steen where Glenna accompanied him staying at the drill sites learning to be a roughneck which came in handy when they started the Tommy White Drilling Company. With the sale of their successful business, they were able to purchase the ranch he grew up on, now known as Red Cliffs Lodge.

Even as busy as ranch life was, Glenna was always happy to host the school district field trips. She loved showing the kids around the ranch and making it an adventure to remember.

Glenna enjoyed hosting the Marlboro Cowboys several times each year, creating friendships that lasted a lifetime. She also spent her time hosting movies, commercials and big gatherings that kept her busy.

Her favorite thing was cowboying with Tommy, and you could often see them holding hands walking along the irrigation ditches.

She and Tommy had four children, Cricket (Kent) Green, Jerry (Heather Jo) White, Colleen (Gregg) Tibbetts and Pamela (Marty) Seely and was extremely involved in all their and their grandchildren's lives. The White Ranch and her home in Fruita were summer homes to many children who Glenna "fostered" which became wonderful memories for all those that visited. She was a mother to many and a grandmother to all.

After Tommy passed, she married Lanny Thomas and moved to Fruita, Colorado and worked beside him at Valley Livestock Auction. His children, stepdaughters Jackie (Chuck) Hoisington, Millie (Mike) Custer, Wyndy Harris, and stepson Dan (Jennifer) Thomas, and her best friend Jeanine Waggoner Thomas, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren all welcomed her to their family, and she adored all of them.

Glenna loved getting away to her mountain property known as 31. This is where she loved reading, relaxing and spending time with family and friends.

She is survived by her best friend and sister Kathleen Engstrom, who she talked to every day. Brother, Harley Bates, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many cousins who were lifetime friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband and soulmate Tommy White, husband Lanny Thomas, beloved daughter Pamela Seely, parents Frank Bates and Clarabelle Blanchard, stepfather Harley Blanchard, sister Wilma Collins, brothers Jimmy Bates and Jeff Bates.

Na was so grateful for the love and friendships she made in and around Fruita and will be missed.

A graveside service for Glenna will be held Friday, October 4th at 11:00 am at the White Family Cemetery located at Mile Post 14 Highway 128 Moab, UT near Red Cliffs Lodge. The family request that in lieu of flowers, you would consider donating to Hope West of Grand Junction https://www.hopewestco.org/donate/.

TRIBUTES