SOUTHPORT — John “Gary” Thomas, age 80, of Southport, North Carolina passed away on Saturday, May 18, 2024.
Preceded in death by his parents, Ruby McLendon Thomas and Leon Thomas and his siblings Richard Thomas and Jackie Thomas Alexander
Survived by his wife Frances Cate Thomas of Boiling Spring Lakes; daughter, Jenny Snow (Derick) of Tifton, Georgia; son, Chuck Thomas (Maggie) of Marietta, Georgia; brother, Edward Thomas (Debra) of Statesville, NC; and grandchildren, Hunter Scarborough (Alyssa), Andrew Scarborough (Jayma), Tyler Snow and Mayson Thomas; along with cousins, nieces and nephews.
Gary was an Army Veteran; served as a sergeant in a Recon unit in Vietnam from October 1969 until he was wounded in April 1970. He was a master gardener in Brunswick County with hobbies of gardening, traveling, reading and fishing. Strong baseball pitcher in his younger years. Gary and other relatives were on Family Feud twice. He drove and camped all over America, flew to Israel where he was baptized, and dug up dinosaurs in the deserts of New Mexico. He was a member of Oak Island Presbyterian Church (2002 – 2007), where he served as a deacon. Prior to his retirement in 1990 he was a letter carrier in Georgia. He met Frances in Black Mountain, NC shortly after she moved there in the summer of 1996, they began dating in the summer of 1997 and were married in December 1999. Prior to his death he lived at Autumn Care of Myrtle Grove in Wilmington, NC where he loved a good cheeseburger and vanilla shake.
Thanks to the staff past and present of Brunswick Cove and Autumn Care of Myrtle Grove for the love and care shown to him.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00PM at Beach Road Baptist Church in Southport, NC on Saturday, May 25, 2024.
A private inurnment will be held at Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville, Georgia on June 4, 2025 at 2:30PM.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Beach Road Baptist Church Building Fund; Beach Road Baptist Church at 4457 Flagship Avenue SE; Southport, NC 28461 or to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Foundation at 1414 Physicians Drive; Wilmington, NC 28401.
Condolences may be left for the family here.
