Daniel Rees Thomas

The Rev. Dr. Daniel Rees Thomas, Jr., 85, of Brunswick, GA, died April 29, 2012, following a long fight with heart failure. He had retired for a second time in March 2011 after more than 61 years of service as a Presbyterian minister.

Dan was born on February 28, 1927, in Knoxville, TN and spent his childhood in Tapoca, NC and Calderwood and Knoxville, TN. He graduated from Knoxville High School and entered the University of Tennessee in 1942 at the age of 15. At UT, he played on the varsity basketball team, and served as president of his Sigma Nu fraternity chapter, the university YMCA and Westminster Fellowship. He also was a member of the United States volleyball team that toured Europe in 1948 to encourage inclusion of the sport in the Olympics. He received his bachelor of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1950 and his doctor of ministry degree from McCormick Seminary in 1985.

Dan served as Presbyterian pastor for campus ministry at the University of Kentucky from 1950 to 1952. He next served as pastor of Banner Elk Presbyterian Church in Banner Elk, NC and several nearby chapels until 1964. He was a Bible instructor at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk from 1956 to 1961. In 1964, he became assistant pastor and minister of education at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Augusta, GA. He was pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Brunswick, GA, from 1967 until 1990, when he retired, and he was honored as pastor emeritus of that church in 2010. In 1991, he became pastor of visitation at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, FL, a ministry in which he served until he retired again in 2011.

During his career in ministry, Dan served in various roles with Presbyteries, Synods, the Presbyterian General Assembly, and ministerial associations. Dan also was involved in civic activities, including service with the Mental Health Association of Glynn County, the Mental Health Association of Georgia, the Glynn County chapter of the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice of the Golden Isles and the Exchange Club of Brunswick.

Dan is survived by his wife of 61 years, Doris Turner Thomas; three children, Andrew Rees Thomas (Pamela) of Raleigh, NC, Mary Emily Thomas (Lawrence Evans) of Bergamo, Italy, and Daniel Gray Thomas (fiancée Valerie Bollock and her son William) of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; a granddaughter, Shelby Lee Danielle Thomas of Jacksonville; brothers John “Jack” Thomas (Sandra) of Naples, FL and Dr. E. Dewey Thomas (Joan) of Nashville, TN, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Brunswick, GA, on Thursday May 3 at 2:00 PM and at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, FL on Friday May 4 at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1105 Union St., Brunswick, GA 31520; Riverside Presbyterian Church, 849 Park St., Jacksonville, FL 32204; Hospice of the Golden Isles, 1692 Glynco Pkwy., Brunswick, GA 31525; or a service charity of your choice. Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. www.edomillerandsons.com