Ralph N. Thomas

Ralph N. Thomas, Sr., of Owensboro, born September 30, 1914 in Ashland, Kentucky, a son and one of 12 children of the late Andrew Thomas and Nellie Geyer Thomas, died Sunday, March 9, 2008 at Owensboro Medical Health System. Mr.Thomas attended the Ashland schools, graduated from Ashland High School and from the University of Kentucky with a degree in geology. His parents valued education highly, with eight of their children receiving college degrees. In Ashland, Mr. Thomas belonged to and was active in several geological associations. An Eagle Scout, he was active there as a Boy Scout leader. He and his family moved to Owensboro in 1955 when he joined the Texas Gas Transmission Corporation, from where he retired in 1976 as manager of underground storage. He served on several geological associations here, was appointed by then governor A.B. "Happy" Chandler to the state Geological Advisory Board, a position to which he was reappointed by governors for the next thirty years, and served as a national delegate to the American Association of Petroleum Engineers. Mr. Thomas was a member of Settle Memorial United Methodist Church and its Open Door Sunday school class. Married October 10, 1941, Mr. Thomas enlisted in the United State Army in December of 1941 and was discharged as a first lieutenant in 1945. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Ernest Thomas, Walter Thomas, Robert Thomas, William Thomas, and George Thomas, and his sisters, Betsy VanHoose, Helen Malone, Ruth Hooper, Edith Kibbey, and Martha Matney.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Mary Lewis Thomas; his daughter, Robin Lewis Smith of Utica; his sons, Ralph Thomas, Jr. of Owensboro and James Geyer Thomas, Sr. and his wife Patty of Bowling Green; his grandchildren, Ashley Thomas, Tiffany Thomas, Courtney Thomas, Katie Turner and her husband Steve, Sarah Saffran, James Geyer Thomas, Jr.; great-grandchildren, Ryan Thomas, Morgan Turner and Madalyn Turner; his sister, Katherine Black of Quarryville, PA; many nieces and nephews on the Thomas side; a special niece, Connie Jennings and her husband Dr. William R. Jennings who will officiate at the service, and a close friend Forrest Lewis who with his late wife Marian were responsible for Mr. Thomas's move to Owensboro.

Services are at 4:00 p.m. Friday at Glenn Funeral Home, where visitation will begin at 12 noon Friday. Interment will be private. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the memorial fund of Settle Memorial United Methodist Church.