Herbert J. (Mick) Thomas, 91, of Waterloo, died at his home, Thursday, December 16, 2010 of natural causes.

Herbert Joseph Thomas was born February 11, 1919, in Lamont, Iowa, the son of Richard “Ritchie” Dearl Thomas and Katheryn Marie Gaffney Thomas. Mick married Evelyn Violet Johnson Burnell on November 30, 1945, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waterloo. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1995 with a family dinner. Evelyn died December 14, 2002.

Mick worked at John Deere starting in 1937 and retired in 1975. He and Evelyn enjoyed fishing on the Mississippi and in Minnesota. In their later years, they enjoyed traveling west to Wyoming and Montana, to Europe and a trip Australia in 1996. Mick was a member of the American Legion and Trinity American Lutheran Church.

Mick entered the U.S. Navy on November 2, 1938 and last served on the submarine USS Sculpin which was sunk by the Japanese 19 November 1943. He was taken prisoner and transported to a forced labor prison camp in Japan where he remained until the end of the war. He was discharged on August 4, 1946, with an Honorable Discharge with the rank of Chief Torpedeoman’s Mate. He received two Good Conduct Medals and the Silver Star during his service.

Mick is survived by two children: son Richard (Lauryce) Thomas of Oklahoma City, OK; daughter Kim (Frank) Swallow of Waterloo; two step-children: stepson Stanley (Mary) Burnell of North Muskegon, MI and stepdaughter Lola (Donald) Isenhower of Hudson, IA; sixteen grandchildren: Nathen (Sarah), Jeremy (Karen), Laurinda (Nathen), and Janna (Edwardo) Baez Thomas; Brian, Tempest (Michael Bullis) and Charity Thomas; Kathleen, David and Joseph Swallow; Steven (Lori), Treva, and Linda Isenhower; Becky (Mark) Yuska; Cary (Devki) and Lisa Burnell; fifteen great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren; three brothers: Wilbur Thomas of Florida; Dearl Thomas of Waterloo; Donald Thomas of Hawaii; and sister Margaret Schribner of Cedar Falls.

He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, son Gerald, brother Robert, brother-in-law Robert Schribner, and sisters-in-law: Mary Thomas, Naomi Thomas and Stella Thomas.