Grady Eugene Thomas

Grady Eugene Thomas

KANNAPOLIS - Grady Eugene Thomas, 70, of 2015 Bunker Court, died Monday, April 16, 2007, at 9:40 p.m. at his home after a period of declining health.

Born May 23, 1936, in Landis, Mr. Thomas was a son of the late A.C. Thomas and Rose Thomas. He graduated from Landis High School in 1954. A good high school athlete, he played football, basketball and baseball.

Mr. Thomas served in the U.S. Army for two years, and under the GI Bill, attended North Carolina State University. He graduated in 1960 with a degree in Civil Engineering and later became a registered professional engineer.

Upon graduation, he worked at Cape Canaveral, Fla., for six years, employed by W.L. Cobb Construction, Boeing Aircraft, Brown Engineering and NASA. He returned to North Carolina in 1966 and went to work for Blythe Brothers Construction Co. in Charlotte for 10 years, becoming general manager of their asphalt division.

In 1976, he went to work for Wright Contracting of Columbus, Ga., as their president for one year. In 1977, he again returned to North Carolina, moving to Denver and becoming part owner and president of Asphalt Associates of Charlotte. He retired in 2006 from his family business, State Construction Co. of the Carolinas.

Mr. Thomas was married to his wife, Janice, for 46 years. The two were inseparable. They most enjoyed traveling and landscaping together. They had two children, daughter April Dawn Thomas Fuller and husband Lance of Salisbury and son Randy Alan Thomas and wife Lea Anne of China Grove.

He leaves behind two grandchildren, Grace and Philip Thomas of China Grove; sisters Lois Perkins of Landis, Nancy Kneeburg and husband Charlie of Midland, Zelia Schafermeyer and husband Eric of DeSoto, Mo.; brothers H.A. Thomas and wife Emogene of Lexington and Avener Thomas of Jacksonville, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.

A member of Kimball Lutheran Church in Kannapolis, Mr. Thomas served many Lutheran churches in many capacities in his lifetime. Although he served on everything from church councils to finance committees to long-range planning committees to property committees, what he most enjoyed was teaching Sunday School and leading Bible studies.

He also loved sports. He coached Little League baseball and Pop Warner football. He especially loved N.C. State University and the Wolfpack Club, very seldom missing State football games.

Service: 11 a.m. Friday at Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church in Kannapolis. Officiating will be the Rev. Richard Rhoades, Dr. Hoke Ritchie and Dr. Scott Suskovic, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Charlotte. Burial will be at West Lawn Memorial Park in China Grove.

Visitation: 7-9 p.m. Thursday at Whitley's Funeral Home, 1748 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis. At other times, the family will be at the home at 2015 Bunker Court.

Memorials: Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church, c/o Pre-School Program, 101 Vance St., Kannapolis, NC 28081; Hospice of Cabarrus County, 5003 Boy Scout Camp Road, Kannapolis, NC 28081; or The V Foundation for Cancer Research, 106 Towerview Court, Cary, NC 27513.

Online condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com

The family would like to thank Dr. John F. Mahoney, Jeff and Abena of Carolinas Hematology-Oncology Associates, Charlotte, for their special care during this difficult time in their lives.