Emil Dewey Thomas MD

Emil Dewey Thomas, MD, 79, passed away Tuesday, January 28, 2014. He was born in Knoxville, TN to Dr. Daniel Rees and Kathrine Sjoblom Thomas and was preceeded in death by his parents and two brothers, Daniel Rees Thomas, Jr. and John Arthur Thomas.

Dewey grew up in Knoxville and attended Old Knox High where he was a member of the 1951 State Basketball Champs. He received his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt in 1956 and his MD in 1959. While at Vandy, he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was on the 1954 Vanderbilt Commodore basketball team.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1961-1963 and was stationed at National Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD.

He practiced orthopedic surgery in Nashville for 32 years. He is survived by his wife of 58½ years, Joan Burchfield Thomas; four daughters, Cindy Crutcher (Pepper) of Madison, MS, Gwyn Spencer (Bill) and Patricia Gilbert (John), both of Nashville, and Dana Berry (Steve) of Maynard, MA; nine grandchildren, Bo Crutcher (Nicole) of Los Angeles, CA, Sarah Catherine Morrow (Michael) of Sugarland, TX, Emily Crutcher of Madison, MS, Caroline Spencer, David Spencer, John Thomas Gilbert, and Grace Gilbert (all of Nashville), and Ann Rees Berry and Stephen Berry of Maynard, MA; and one great-granddaughter, Millie Morrow of Sugarland, TX.

Dr. Thomas was an Elder emeritus of Covenant Presbyterian Church, Member of Belle Meade Country Club, Lifelong member of Sigma Chi, and a Member of the Vanderbilt Rebounders Club.

Graveside service will be held 3 pm Friday January 31, 2014 at Highland Memorial Park, on Kingston Pike

The memorial service will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church on Saturday, February 1 at 1:00, with visitation to follow in Nashville, TN.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Covenant Presbyterian Church building fund: Covenant Presbyterian Church, 33 Burton Hills Blvd., Nashville, TN 37215

TN. Arrangements under the direction of Marshall Donnelly Combs Funeral Home, Nashville, Tennessee.