Patricia Ann Whitten Thomas

Born on July 2, 1944, in Princeton, IN, Pat grew up in Danville, IL. As a very young girl, Pat came to understand her need for a Savior while listening to her mother teach a Bible club in their home. She gave her life to the Lord at that early age, a commitment that shaped every season of her life. She graduated from Danville High School in 1962 and attended Pillsbury Bible College, later completing post-graduate work at Bob Jones University to earn her teaching certificate.

Pat taught briefly in Ohio before returning to Danville, where her love of music and involvement in her local church led her to meet Kenneth Thomas. They married on October 17, 1970. After Ken’s call to ministry, they moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for seminary and welcomed their two daughters. In 1978, they moved to Oakland City, IN where Ken became the pastor of McCullough Grove Baptist Church. Their son was born there, two years later.

Pat loved being a pastor’s wife and using her gifts of music and teaching to serve others. She and Ken served faithfully at McCullough Grove for 36 years before retiring to Statesville, NC. There, they joyfully joined Hebron Baptist Church, where Pat was thrilled to have opportunities to serve—particularly through the Good News Club at Harmony Elementary School and the Ladies Bible Study at Hebron Baptist Church.

Pat loved people wholeheartedly. She delighted in being a wife, mother, nana, sister, daughter, aunt, great-aunt, great-great-aunt, cousin, and friend. She loved nurturing those relationships, most recently through faithfully sending cards for nearly every occasion. Her greatest desire was to serve the Lord with gladness until He called her home.

Pat is survived by her husband, Kenneth Thomas; her children: Joy & Jeff Durham of Statesville, NC, Faith & Greg Mathews of Augusta, MT, and David & Melodie Thomas of Greenacre, NSW, Australia; her grandchildren: Jaden Durham, Jacob Durham, Savannah & Xavier Perkins, Jackson Thomas, Cooper Thomas, Cole Mathews, Joshua Durham, and Charlotte Mathews; her sisters: Donna Pearson of Catlin, IL, and Jeannie Williams of Rapid City, SD; as well as nieces and nephews: Lori Foley, Stephen Pearson, Timothy Pearson, Jonathan Williams, Jennifer Pearson, and Karen Williams; many beloved great and great-great nieces and nephews; and her dearest, life-long friend, Patti Miller of Westville, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Lillian Hurt Whitten, and her brothers-in-law, Jerry Pearson and Wayne Williams.

The family will receive friends on December 29, from 12-1:30 pm at Hebron Baptist Church in Statesville, NC. A funeral service will follow in the sanctuary of Hebron Baptist Church at 1:30 pm (EST) with Pastor Darren Johnson officiating. Burial will be held immediately following the service in the Hebron Baptist Church Cemetery.

The service will be available by live-stream through the church website: www.hbcstatesville.org

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Hebron Baptist Church, McCullough Grove Baptist Church or Montana Wilderness School of the Bible.

Bunch Johnson Funeral Home is handling arrangements for the family.