HELENE THOMAS BENNETT
History of Arizona Page 488

One of the leading chemical laboratories in western Arizona is the 
Thomas Laboratory owned by Helene Thomas Bennett, at Yuma and which 
has gained a high reputation among the physicians of this section of 
the state. Mrs. Bennett, whose maiden name was Helen Thomas, was born 
near Raton, New Mexico on the 5th day of July 1901 and is a daughter 
of John Bertie and Catherine Helen (Wendell) Thomas, the latter of 
whom was born in Kansas and now lives in Yuma. John B. Thomas was 
born near Joplin, Missouri and was for many years an engineer on 
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, being in charge of the 
"California Flyer," one of its crack trains. His death occurred in 
1907.

Helene Thomas received her elementary education in the public 
schools of Efffingham, Kansas and graduated from high school at 
Jasper, Missouri. She attended Baker University and the Agricultural 
and Mechanical College at Las Cruces, New Mexico an then entered 
the University of Kansas, from which she was graduated with the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1922, receiving also her Master 
Degree from that institution in 1924. From 1922 to 1924 she served 
as assistant State Food Chemist at Lawrence, Kansas and from 
July 1, 1924 to February 1926 she was in charge of the state 
public health laboratory at Topeka, Kansas.  In February 1926 
she came to Yuma and established the Thomas Laboratory, owned 
by herself and her mother.  They also have a laboratory at El 
Centro, California and both institutions have been very 
successful.

On July 8, 1927 Miss Thomas was united in marriage to Ray Crawford 
Bennett of Oklahoma, a lawyer by profession. He was admitted to the 
bar of Arizona on May 7, 1927 and is now practicing in Yuma.  To 
them was born on October 31, 1928 a daughter, Lou Helen.  Mr. 
Bennett is a veteran of the World War and is a member of the 
American Legion.

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