Rev. Wallace E. Thomas

BRANDENBURG THOMAS, WALLACE EDWIN was born on January 13, 1934, in Barren County, the son of L. K. and Pauline Thomas. Raised on a farm by hardworking and godly parents, Wallace came to faith in Jesus Christ as a young boy of nine years, a faith he shared with others all his life. He grew up as a young leader in Future Farmers of America anticipating a career in agribusiness. But it was during his early years as an agriculture major at Western Kentucky University that he sensed God calling him to become a minister of the Gospel. It was also during these years at Western that Wallace met the love of his life, Anna Kate Radford, who had surrendered her life, too, to Christian service. Their discovery of this common commitment sealed a bond of love between them that remained fresh and full of joy for 53 years. After earning his undergraduate education, "Wally" and "Kay," as they nicknamed each other, moved to Atlanta where he earned the Master of Divinity degree in 1959 from Candler School of Theology of Emory University. It was during these years that they also had their first child, a daughter named Deborah Anne. A lifelong learner and reader, Wally also received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1979 from Kentucky Wesleyan College, where he served on the Board of Trustees. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of Lindsey Wilson College. Spiritual leadership in the local church was Wally's great gift, and each congregation he served flourished during his years there. Many of these churches, of all types and sizes, look back on "Wally's years" as a golden time of ministry: the Mammoth Cave Circuit; Zebulon-Fincher Charge (Georgia); Park City (during which their second child was born, a son named David Radford); Munfordville-Mt. Beulah; Shively; Madisonville; and Christ United Methodist Church (Louisville). In each of these places, Wally also reached out to provide community leadership at multiple points of opportunity and need. Additionally, he served two full terms as a District Superintendent in the former Louisville Conference of the United Methodist Church-the Louisville South District and the Campbellsville District-inspiring passion and enhancing ministry skills among these churches and leaders. Since retirement in 1999, Wally served as a minister of evangelism and volunteer pastor in the Brandenburg United Methodist Church, the church family that has become a real home in recent years. And in all these times and places, Wally and Kay worked together as a team, making one another better and offering to everyone a model of marriage filled with love for God and others. Always committed to the core purpose of the Kingdom of God, Wally was a pioneer in introducing the Lay Witness Mission movement to Kentucky, through which many were given the opportunity to meet Jesus Christ personally. Wally was also the lead pastor in bringing to Kentucky the Walk to Emmaus movement, a Christian renewal and leadership development weekend experience. In 1988, he led the Louisville Conference delegation to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, and he served on the General Conference Commission preparing for its 1992 session in Louisville. He served as a delegate to the World Methodist Conference meeting in Honolulu in 1981 and in Nairobi in 1986. Wally also served as Chairman of the Board of Wesley Manor Retirement Community in Louisville. During their retirement years, Wally and Kay have helped to found Camp T.E.S.S.A. (Teaching Effective Social Skills to children with Autism), a camping experience which has become the highlight of the summer for some very special children in central Kentucky. The vision for this camp came out of their love for their grand-daughter, Katie Caswell, who experiences the challenges of living with autism. Both Katie and "Poppy's" other grandchildren-Luke, John Paul, and Mary Esther Thomas-will miss the best lap in the world to sit on and the loving heart of a great man they will never forget. Wallace E. Thomas leaves behind the greatest kind of legacy. He will be remembered as a man of Christlike integrity and gentle strength; a husband and father of exemplary love and faithfulness; a pastor known for his sound leadership and passion for the Gospel; and a friend whose consistent love and wisdom made you better. The earth is a poorer place today because of Wally's great promotion to heaven. But our lives are richer because we knew him. Wally is survived by his wife Kate "Kay" Thomas; daughter, Debbie Caswell (Steve), of Upton, KY; son, Rev. David R. Thomas (Karen), of Lexington, KY; four grandchildren, Katie Caswell, Luke Thomas, John Paul Thomas and Mary Esther Thomas; and sister, Helen Whitlow (Douglas), of Glasgow, KY. A service celebrating the life of Wallace E. Thomas will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial United Methodist Church, 631 N. Miles St., Elizabethtown. Visitation will be held 2-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Brandenburg United Methodist Church, 215 Broadway / Highway 448, and Wednesday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Memorial United Methodist Church. Burial will be at Glasgow Municipal Cemetery, Glasgow. Bruington-Jenkins- Sturgeon Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Memorial gifts may be made to Camp T.E.S.S.A., c/o Lisa Stratton, 527 Bewley Blvd., Elizabethtown, 42701. Online condolences: www.bjsfunerals.com