Winona Thomas was born in Moroni, Utah on July 27, 1903 to John C. and Alice Ann Windous Frandsen. She grew up in Springville and went on to graduate from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of arts degree in education. She taught school in Spanish Fork, Salem, Benjamin, Lake Shore, and Salt Lake. She married David Hyrum Thomas in 1927 in the Salt Lake Temple, and they had three children.
Thomas was an active, well-known writer. She wrote for the Provo Daily Herald newspaper, was a member of the Studiar Club, the Clef and Pen Guild, the League of Utah Writers, the National League of American Pen women, and was president of the American Association of University women.