It is with sadness that we pass along the news of the passing of Kaye Thomas, the wife of West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Senior Vice President Larry Thomas.  she died at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House in Charlotte, N.C. with Larry at her side. Her daughter reports that her death was peaceful and quick–her greatest wish.  She had a wonderful visit with her three sisters, their husbands, and her daughter just an hour prior to her death.  She smiled and laughed and napped, and was in good spirits.

Kaye had a life-long love of the mountains and enjoyed hiking, traveling and just sitting on the deck watching the changes in the seasons and the infinite stars in the sky.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Thomas Lemuel Hollifield. She is survived by her husband Larry, daughter Robin Hill (Michael) and their son Aaron and daughters Elizabeth and Emily, daughter Kelly Leavy and daughters Madison and Brooklyn, stepson Joshua Thomas (Jaime) and son Brandon and daughter Caroline, stepdaughter Jennifer Thomas and son Jayden, stepson Jonathan Thomas (Jennifer) and sons Matthew and Ryan, sisters Linda Mills (Mark), Angelina Lewis (Claude), Geneva Puras (Jeff), brother Wylie Hollifield (Cheryl) and many special nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held in North Carolina for family only, and then in West Virginia this summer where all are welcome.  More details to come.

Donations in her honor may be made to the Levine Cancer Institute.  Make checks to “Carolinas HealthCare Foundation” and send to LCI Carolinas Ovarian Cancer Fund, c/o Carolinas HealthCare Foundation, 208 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC  28203, or give online atwww.givecarolinas.org/find-your-cause/cancer