Graveside services for Mrs. Esther "Sunny" Farrell Ray Thomas will be held on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 11am at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Pastor Phillip Lee officiating. George Funeral Home & Cremation Center is assisting the family. Memorial contributions may be directed to The American Cancer Society, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC, 29210. Mrs. Thomas, 90, of Aiken, died Saturday, June 28, 2008 at her residence. Born in Salem, MA, she was the daughter of the late William and Esther Farrell Ray. When WWII broke out, she volunteered with the Air Force Air Warning Service. She became one of the first women officers in the WAAC and WAC. She was commissioned in November 1942 in Des Moines, IA and returned to Boston where she'd been as a civilian volunteer. Other places she was stationed: Camp Polk, LA, Ruston, LA, Des Moines, IA, Orlando, FL, Colorado Springs, CO, Harding Fld, LA, Ft. Sumner, NM. In Orlando she was Asst. Secretary and Registrar in Heavy Bombardment in the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics. In Ft. Sumner she was Asst. Base Adjutant, Postal Officer, Commanding Officer of the WAC Detachment, and had many other titles. In 1989 they moved to Kalmia Landing in Aiken, SC. In later years she became interested in genealogy and was a member of the Aiken-Barnwell SC Genealogical Society and the Augusta GA Genealogical Society, She was a member of The Retired Officers Association TROA, Women In Military Service WIMSA, and The Air Force Women Officers Association. She and her late husband, Toby, also loved to travel throughout the country in their motor home. She is survived by her daughter, Terry Ready from Aiken, son, Berkeley Thomas from N. Charleston, SC, granddaughter, Lauren Jeremy Toole, step-grandsons, Rodney Lucy Ready, Jr., Todd Ready, Carey Lisa Ready, Bud Ready, great grand children, Jeremiah Rodney Toole, Tessa McCormick, Lane and Cody Ready, and 3 great - great grand children. Extended family members are Jeff "Fred" Toole and Sherry Lukens. Sonny's "adopted" sisters include Olive Howe, Kathleen George and Doris Hiers, fondly called the "Golden Girls".