James Gideon Thomas, Jr., 89, of Charleston, husband of 68 years to Bertha Lee Walling Thomas died Friday morning, April 10, 2009 at Driftwood Rehab and Nursing Center.
Funeral service will be held Monday, April 13, 2009 at 3 o’clock at James A. Dyal Funeral Home Chapel, Summerville. Burial will follow at Live Oak Memorial Gardens, Hwy. 61, Charleston.
Friends may visit at the funeral home from 2 o’clock until the hour of service.
Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to: Alzheimer’s Association, Coastal Carolina Chapter, P.O. Box 80459, Charleston, SC 29416.
Mr. Thomas was born May 6, 1919 in Bamberg, South Carolina, a son of the late James Gideon Thomas Sr. and Margaret Knight Thomas. He was a graduate of Bamberg schools. He was a veteran of the United States Army. In 1941, he worked out of Shop 72 as a Rigger at the Charleston Naval Shipyard for twenty-five years. Then after several years of shop, schooling and on the job training he went to work at Pomplant in the Chief Engineering office as an Industrial Engineering Technician, he later retired after seven and half years. He was a member of Southside Baptist Church.
Surviving in addition to his wife are:
Son: James Gideon Thomas, III and his wife Shirley of Mount Pleasant
Daughters: Patricia Harmon and her husband Larry of Charleston and Sandra Marie Owen and her friend Buddy of Early Branch, SC.
8 grandchildren: Carl Harmon, James Harmon, Bruce Owen, Debbie Strickland, Wayne Owen, Amy Turner, Julie Mooney and Lauren Thomas.
15 great grandchildren
He was predeceased by one brother and 3 sisters: Odis Thomas, Minnie Lee Carter, Irene Van Ormer and Sadie Mac Thomas.