Francis Walker Thomas

1939 - 2025

Francis Walker Thomas, known by friends and family as Walker, passed away at his home on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025.

Walker was born in Cecilia, on Feb. 16, 1939, to Hubert and Lillian Thomas. Raised on a farm, he was an active member of 4-H and served as state 4-H president. He graduated from Elizabethtown Catholic High School. He then attended the University of Kentucky where he received a degree in animal science. While at UK, he was a member of the UK animal judging team and a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.

Curious about the world and other cultures, he had the good fortune in college of participating in the International Farm Youth Exchange where he spent a year in Uruguay. There he got to visit and work on farms, live with different families and practice his Spanish. His greatest accomplishment while he attended UK was meeting the love of his life, his future wife, Byrle.

Following college, he and Byrle married and returned to Cecilia to farm and raise their family. Initially he raised sheep, but in 1965, he, his brother Leon, and his father began Hubert Thomas and Sons Dairy Farm. During the Vietnam War, Walker served in the Air National Guard and would farm in the morning and at night, working to maintain the farm while his brothers were deployed.

Following his son's graduation from college, his son, Walker Thomas Jr., joined the family farm. He and his family operated the dairy for 53 years. After retiring from milking cows, Walker took up painting and enjoyed attending classes with his wife.

Walker was a member of St. James and St. Ambrose Catholic churches. At St. James, he spent a number of years teaching CCD classes. Throughout his life, Walker was a consummate conversationalist. He loved to meet and talk to people. He understood the art of conversation is as much about listening as it is about talking.

Walker is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, William Clarence (W.C.).

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Byrle (Davidson), his brother, Charles Leon Thomas, his three children, Dr. Karen McNay of Louisville, Teresa Young (Shane) of Cecilia and Walker Thomas Jr. (Renae) of Cecilia. He also is survived by his nine grandchildren, Max, Emily, Zack (Katie), Celia (Nathen), Aaron, Eli, Hope, Matt and Jack. He was blessed with two great-grandchildren, Kenton Walker and Reagan.

Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown. Visitation will resume from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at St. Ambrose Catholic Church with Mass starting at 1 p.m. Father Ben will be officiating. Burial is to follow at St. James Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made out to St. Ambrose Catholic Church or Hosparus of Kentucky.