Samuel LeRoy "Roy" Thomas Jr.

Samuel LeRoy Thomas, Jr., age 92, died peacefully on September 21, 2011 in his beloved Raleigh. Roy was born on December 20, 1918 and raised in Westfield, NJ. A 1941 graduate of North Carolina State, Roy, who was rarely seen without his class ring, served as the XO of an LSM in the South Pacific during WWII.

Roy worked for General Precision Laboratories and began a family in Chappaqua NY that produced six sons. He worked on cutting edge video technology. Roy was on-site during a major coal mine disaster in the 1950s providing the first video pictures of miners deep below ground. Video on airplanes is an outgrowth of his work.

Roy is survived by his wife Betty. He remained friends with Dottie, the mother of his children Bill (Edna), Don, Jeff (Peggy), Bruce (Clara), Jim, and Doug (Jolene). Roy's siblings Ed and Ann enjoyed a visit from him last May in Salisbury MD. Grandchildren are Melinda (Mark), Adam (Leah), Trevor, Logan.

He was preceded in death by Mary C. Thomas, his second wife.

The funeral will be held at Mitchell Funeral Home (7209 Glenwood Avenue) on Friday, September 23, 2011 at 2:00 pm officiated by Rev. Terry Bryant. The family invites friends to join them at 1:00 pm.

Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to the Alzheimer’s North Carolina Inc.,1305 Navaho Dr. #101, Raleigh NC 27609.