Felicia Dawne Thomas

Felicia Dawne Thomas, 51, of Commerce, passed away on Thursday, January 25, 2018 in Greenville, Texas.  She was born on March 15, 1966 in Greenville, Texas, the daughter of Ronald Ray Elmore and Sandra Ann Baron Elmore.  A graveside service will be take place on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Sonora Cemetery in Fairlie, Texas.

Felicia grew up in Commerce, graduating from Commerce High School in 1984.  She was the Salutatorian of her class, of which she was an officer, as well as a member of the National Honor Society, student council, cheerleading squad and the 4H chapter.  She raised, showed and won numerous awards showing her animals at local, county and state fairs.  When not competing, she enjoyed running barrels, poles and flags on her horse named Prissy.

While growing up in Commerce, she attended First Baptist Church, where she was baptized.  While attending there, she participated in drama, as well as singing in the choir.   She competed in and won several beauty pageants as a young child.  Among the awards was “Little Miss Commerce”, “Little Miss La Petite” on two occasions, and Hunt County Fair Princess.  She started dancing at a very young age.  She taught dance at 16 years old and briefly toured as a professional dancer for the Academy of Dance Arts in Greenville, Texas.

She went on to attend East Texas State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in 1996.  She earned spots on the President’s and Dean’s list while a student at ETSU.    She married Jeff Thomas on January 2, 2008 in Greenville.  Felicia enjoyed a variety of hobbies.  She was an avid animal lover, having never met an animal she didn’t love.  She was known for taking in animals that needed a home and nursing them back to health.  She also enjoyed working with plants, known for having many thriving plants in her home.

Felicia is survived by her loving husband, Jeff; her mother, Sandra Ann Baron Elmore; her children, Cheyenne Nixon, Brandon Glover, Hunter Nixon and Max Nixon; grandson, Jason Keith Glover; siblings, Daphne Bozarth and husband, Aaron, Shawn Elmore and wife, Dawn, Melanie Elmore, Kyle Elmore and wife, Emma and grandmother, Lawanda Elmore.

She was preceded in death by her father, Ronald “Butch “ Elmore.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Felicia’s memory to the ASPCA at aspca.org.