Col. Thomas is survived by his wife, Marion Danzey Thomas; a daughter, Kimberly Thomas Jefferson (Steve); grandchildren, Shelby Denise Orso, Richard Blake Jefferson; and great-grandson, Zachariah Joel Crawford. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Claudia Thomas of Sorrento, Louisiana, and nieces, Donna Hanner of Charlotte, North Carolina, Terry Ann Thomas of Sterling, Colorado, and Charlotte Melancon (Tim) of Sorrento, Louisiana.
Col. Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin and Louise Thomas, and his brother, Charles D. Thomas.
Col. Thomas is a graduate of Murphy High School, Walter Reed Hospital Army School of Nursing, Providence School of Nursing, Spring Hill College, University of Maryland, University of South Alabama School of Anesthesia, and Ottawa University Kansas.
Col. Thomas retired from the US Army after 37 years of active and reserve duty, having served in the Army Infantry, Army Medical Department, and Army Nurse Corps. He held every rank in the US Army from Private to Full Bird Colonel. He served during the Korean War, Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam War, and Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He served 5 years on the US Army Pistol Team. His Reserve duty was with the 3343d USAH Unit in Mobile where he served as Chief Anesthetist before retirement.
His decorations and medals include Army Commendation Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal with Three Bronze Clasps, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Occupation of Germany, National Defense Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with One Hour Glass, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon, and Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, WWII Occupation Army/AF Ribbon, Korean Defense Service Ribbon with two bronze stars, American Defense Service Components Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Components Ribbon, Army Cold War Component Ribbon. Army Commemorative Ribbon, US Armed Forces Retirement Comm Ribbon, Honorable Service Comm Ribbon, Armed Forces Expert Marksman Comm Ribbon, NATO Service Commemorative Ribbon, Army Commendation Ribbon with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters and Armed Forces Desert Shield/Desert Storm Ribbon.
Colonel Thomas’s employment as a civilian have all been in Mobile at The University of South Alabama School of Anesthesia, Anesthesia Associates, and Anesthesia Services.
Col. Thomas was a member of Woodridge Baptist Church.
The family would like to thank Col Thomas’s caregiver and friend, Estella K. Powe.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Woodridge Baptist Church Building Fund.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. service time at Woodridge Baptist Church, 2700 Schillinger Road. Interment will follow in Pine Crest Cemetery, 1939 Dauphin Island Parkway, Mobile, Alabama.
