- Date Of Birth: September 13, 1953
- Date Of Death: December 16, 2020
- State: Minnesota
Alfred “Petie” Peter Thomas, Jr., age 67, “Zhooniya inini” which means “Money Man” of the Bullhead Clan and is from Ponemah, Minnesota began his journey to the spirit world on Wednesday, December 16th, 2020 from the Sanford Hospital in Fargo, ND. He was born to Gloria (Cloud) and Alfred Thomas, Sr. in Red Lake, MN on September 13th, 1953.
Petie was a jokester who loved to make jokes about himself just to hear and see others laugh and smile. He was affectionately known as “Clark Griswold” because of the funny things he would do on his long road trips. Petie loved to travel, traveling all over the country and Canada; including a road trip from New York down the east coast to the Florida Keys. He and Jay made many trips to Las Vegas as well as other places, over the 24 years they were together. Petie met Jay Rosebear in 1996 and they were traditionally married in 2012. He also enjoyed traveling to any casino he could find, cooking; especially holiday dinners and anything that had to do with basketball. Petie loved to play basketball, watch basketball and watching his kids and grandkids play basketball. He liked watching western movies, going to music festivals and meeting new people. Together with Jay, they were foster parents to many children over the years, many of whom Petie became overly attached and found it hard to let them go sometimes. He was everyone’s “Dad”. When he wasn’t busy with all that, he was driving bus for the Ponemah Head Start and Elementary schools. Petie drove bus for over 30 years before becoming a transportation driver for Comp Health for seven years. His laugh will forever be missed by all.
Family welcoming Petie to the spirit world are his daughter, Sherri Jo Thomas; parents, Gloria and Alfred Thomas, Sr.; infant sister, Gretchen; sisters, Judy and Bev (Peter); granddaughter, Mari Jane; in laws, Gerry and Myron Kingbird and numerous other relatives.
He leaves behind his children, Evan (Jerilyn) Thomas, Jill (Bruce) Thomas and Alfred (Labria) Thomas, siblings, Richard Thomas, Frances Miller and Barbara Thomas; brother-in-law, Greetings “Gus” Spears, Sr.; grandbabies, Callie Taylor, Jayden, Olivia and Amaro Thomas, Taleigha Rosebear, nieces and nephews, Michael Spears, Janice Iceman, Gretchen Spears, Ramona Spears, Sharon Rosebear, Greetings Spears III, Arlyn Thomas, Cynthia Thomas and Peter Thomas, cousins, Rita Johnson and Mary Lou Stillday; wife, Jay Rosebear; step children, Lana (Corey) Whitefeather, Mistie (Joe) Sumner, Timothy (Rhiannon) Sumner, Richard Sumner, Cristy Sumner and Kimberly (Edward) Sumner; mother-in-law, Rose Rosebear-Kingbird; children that he raised, Ariah, Gavin, Calem Sumner and Kyler Kingbird; 21 more grandchildren, one great granddaughter, Sofia Gonzales; many more family members and too many friends to list.
