(From left) Norman Thomas' daughter, Terrie Basemann; Jody Thomas; Dave Thomas; LaDonna Thomas; and Dave and LaDonna's daughter, Julie Crossley. On June 26, a plaque commemorating Jody and Dave's parents was unveiled along the strip of land they donated to the City.
No matter where in Dublin you are, it’s hard to ignore the construction going on between Emerald Parkway and Bridge Street. With new and beautiful options in living, dining and entertainment opening up in Dublin, the City only continues to grow. And much of that is thanks to one family’s generous donation of more than an acre of land upon which Bridge Park will sit.
Though John and Berniece Thomas passed away in 1981 and 2002, respectively, the couple will be remembered lovingly in Dublin as a family who gave to their community. They are survived by two children, who I was able to sit down with in Dublin City Hall.
John Thomas owned Thomas Motor Sales, but bought land in Dublin because he knew his three children – Dave, Jody and Norman – would benefit from growing up and working on a farm. John also served as a deputy police officer, trustee of Perry Township and, like many Village residents at that time, volunteer firefighter. Norman, the eldest Thomas child, passed away in 2008, but Dave and Jody remember their father as having incredible foresight into what Dublin would become.
“I think he bought the farm because he knew it was a good investment,” says Dave. “I can recall him and (fellow Dublin resident) John McKitrick sitting at the Dublin Night Club and having lunch, and they talked about how ‘a shopping center is going to be on Bethel Road.’”
Jody was born Oct. 18, 1940, and Dave a few years later on May 12, 1942. Being so close in age, the siblings have many memories growing up together in the Village.
“Our childhood was wonderful,” says Dave.
“We rode horses across the river and joined up with other riders on the west side of Dublin,” says Jody. “We went to the Shawnee Hills swimming pool; that was a big hit. Everybody was there.”
Jody and Dave tell me about Ethel Artz, the woman who raised cows in Historic Dublin. She had a colorful personality, and nearly every Storyteller has shared at least one anecdote about Artz with me.
“We would ride our horses on her sidewalk, and she would chase us with her broom,” says Jody, laughing. “If they pooped on her sidewalk, we were in big trouble. She was a character.”
A major part of living in a small village like Dublin was the utter safety that the residents enjoyed, and the ability to spend their time as they pleased. The Thomas children were able to ride their horses right across the Scioto River and through Bridge Street. When everyone in the Village was either related or neighbors, letting children do as they pleased during the day was a non-issue.
“We would leave after breakfast and come back before supper,” says Dave. “Our parents didn’t worry.”
Riding horses was just one of the things Dave, Jody and several Dublin children did to pass the time and, like many at the time, most of their free time was spent in or around the Scioto River. The siblings recall taking their aluminum rowboat to visit their grandmother on the other side of the river, and ice skating on it in the winter.
Brother and sister, Jody and Dave Thomas
“You could hear the ice cracking when you got down there,” says Dave.
One hobby that children across all generations share is making mischief. When Dave and
Jody were in school, a popular prank was to steal a buggy from Plain City and put it onto the Dublin schoolhouse roof. Jody and Dave say they were “close” to getting their buggy on the roof, but one prank nearly got Dave caught by Dublin police. Students attempted to get a classmate’s old Crosley into the Dublin cemetery, but the car ended up stuck on the fencing. Accomplices included both Dave and Jody, with Dave behind the wheel.
“Kids were saying, ‘Go this way,’ ‘No, go that way,’ and we got stuck on the fence – and here come the policemen,” says Dave. “I couldn’t get out. So I just laid down on the floor; they were shining lights in and everything and didn’t see me.”
The mischievous children grew into successful adults. After serving in the Army and returning from deployment in Germany, Dave followed in his mother’s footsteps and became a teacher.
The plaque for John and Berniece sits near the Scioto River, where Jody and Dave clearly remember playing during their childhood. With the new Bridge Park development and donated land from the Thomas family, the site will once again host playing children and sightseeing adults.
He spent most of his career at Whetstone High School in Columbus, and farmed outside of school hours. He married another Dublin native, LaDonna, nearly 55 years ago, and the couple have two daughters, Julie and Tammie. Jody went to The Ohio State University College of Medicine and practiced family medicine for 44 years, the majority of which she spent in Exeter, N.H. Though Jody and Dave are now retired and living outside of Dublin – New Hampshire and London, Ohio respectively – they both come back frequently, and still own their parents’ home on Tuller Road.
On the day that we spoke, Dave and Jody were visiting to see a plaque unveiled on Riverside Drive between Emerald Parkway and Bridge Street to commemorate their parents. The plaque sits on a large stone under a tree, and will remain there to honor John and Berniece. Now, Bridge Park visitors for years to come will know the family who made the new park possible.
“Thanks to the generosity of the Thomas family,” the plaque reads, “the natural beauty of this site will forever be preserved for the entire community to enjoy.”
Amanda DePerro is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
