James Edward Thomas

Anniston - Funeral services for James Edward Thomas, 80, of Anniston, will be 11 a.m. Monday, January 2, 2012, at Leatherwood Baptist Church with the Rev. Mike Owens officiating. Burial will follow at Seven Springs Cemetery. The family will receive friends tonight from 6-8 p.m. at the church. Mr. Thomas died Friday, December 30, 2011, at Stringfellow Memorial Hospital. Mr. Thomas was born on May 8, 1931 in Choccolocco, Alabama to the late James and Effie Thomas. He was a member of Leatherwood Baptist Church. He retired from Bowman Transportation. Jim is survived by his wife of 45 years, Dollie Wood Thomas, of Anniston, formerly of Jacksonville; one son, James Michael Thomas and wife, Kim, of Cleveland, Tenn.; one daughter, Lisa and husband, Rev. Donnie Elkins, of Savannah, Ga.; one granddaughter, Michalle Leatherwood, of Austell, Ga.; two grandsons, Rev. Dan Elkins and wife, Marianne, of Jacksonville, Fla., and Sean Elkins and wife, Brooke, of Tampa, Fla.; three great-granddaughters, and one great-grandson, all of Florida; four sisters, Clara Floyd, Alma Jennings (Luke), Edna Beal (Robert) and Faye Mulligan (Jerry). He was preceded in death by his sisters, Edith Thomas and Patricia Tant. Pallbearers will be Lowell Wood, Wilbur Wood, James Edward "Eddie" Tant, Gary Wood, Stephen Wood and Donald McCurdy. Honorary pallbearers will be his Sunday School Class led by Buck Brown. Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Leatherwood Baptist Church Building Fund, 2709 Old Gadsden Highway, Anniston, AL 36206. Gray Brown-Service Mortuary in charge of arrangements. Online condolences made at www.graybrownservice.com.