John Wesley Thomas

John Wesley Thomas, 91, of Valdosta, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 30, 2016. Born in Raleigh, North Carolina on October 16, 1925, he was the oldest son of the late Alexander Raymond and Lora Mae Norman Thomas. After graduating from high school in Cameron, North Carolina, John Thomas served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II as an Army Air Force Lieutenant. After serving, he attended North Carolina State University, graduating in 1949 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. He began his 40-year career with the railroad by working for Seaboard Air Line Railroad in Atlanta, Georgia. It was there that he met and married Helen Myree Joiner of Valdosta in 1950. They were relocated several times with various job assignments before he retired in 1978 as General Manager of the Clinchfield Railroad in Erwin, Tennessee, now part of CSX. John and Helen moved to Valdosta in 1984 to be closer to family. After completing a MA degree in Geography, John enjoyed teaching part time at Valdosta State University. John and Helen were active members of First United Methodist Church through the years. John was involved in community service as a member of the Valdosta Rotary Club. He and Helen volunteered for many years at J.L. Lomax Elementary School. He supported Friends of the Library and was an active volunteer there. John was preceded in death by his wife Helen, on November 16, 2012.
John Thomas is survived by his four daughters and two sons-in-law: Terri Thomas of Beaufort, North Carolina, Debbie and Keith Hotard of The Woodlands, Texas, Betty and Arthur Barham of Lake Park, Georgia, Sharon DeShazo of Chattanooga, Tennessee; seven grandchildren: Britt Viehman (Karen) of St. Petersburg Beach, Florida, Shay (Ryan) Neve of Beaufort, North Carolina, Rachel (Joel) Burton of Fort Irwin, California, David (Sunny) Hotard of Atlanta, Georgia, Brad Barham of Lake Park, Georgia, Sara (Emerson) Chew of Thomasville, Georgia, Wesley (Lindsey) DeShazo of Chattanooga, Tennessee; five great-grandsons: Elliott Neve and Emerson Neve of Beaufort, North Carolina, Caleb Burton of Fort Irwin, California, Tate Hotard of Atlanta, Georgia, Remy Chew of Thomasville, Georgia. He is also survived by one sister, Velma (Sam) Tomlin and one brother-in-law Ted Benfey, all of North Carolina. In addition to his parents and wife and two sons-in-law, Dee Viehman and Dee DeShazo, he was preceded in death by his brother and sister-in-law, Alex and Juanita Thomas, and his sisters and brother-in-law, Rachel Benfey and Nancy (Sherman) Hampton, all of North Carolina.
Services for John Thomas will be held at Carson McLane Funeral Home on Thursday, November 3rd at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Bob Moon of First United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will take place at Sunset Hill Cemetery following the service. The Family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions to First United Methodist Church, 220 North Patterson St., Valdosta, Georgia, 31601. Condolences may be expressed online at www.mclanecares.com. Carson McLane Funeral Home, Valdosta, GA.



Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602