Reverend Ronald Gene Thomas, 66 of Hope passed away unexpectantly at 1:51 am Monday February 4, 2008 at Columbus Regional Hospital.
Reverend Thomas was the minister at the Hope United Methodist Church. He was a clergy member in the Southern Indiana Conference, a First Responder for the Hope Volunteer Fire Dept. and had taken numerous mission trips. He graduated in 1959 from Van Buren High School in Brazil, IN, in 1982 from Indiana State University and from the Garrett Evangelical Theo. Seminary in Evanston, Illinois.
A memorial service will be Friday February 8 at 2:00 pm at The Hope United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jerry Crouse and the Rev. Robert McMillan officiating. Visitation will be from 12:00 until service time. There will be a second memorial service on Saturday February 9 at 2:00 pm at the Carbon United Methodist Church in Carbon, IN with visitation from 1:00 until service time. Cremation is planned and burial will be at a later date at the Calcutta Cemetery in Clay County. Memorials may be made to the Redbird Mission School, at 70 Queendale Center, Beverly, Ky. 40912.
Born on September 24, 1941, in Brazil, IN, Reverend Thomas was the son of Roy F. and Mary L. Thomas. He married Sandra Goshen on June 23, 1962 at the Carbon United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife; daughters, Kim(Jeff) Finnerty of Carbon, Karen(John) Barker of Morristown and Kelly Jones of London, Ky; grandchildren, Dylan, Allison and Madelyn Finnerty, Zane and Kaitlyn Barker, Carrie, Thomas and Elijah Jones; brothers and sisters,
Sharon(Larry) Hostetler of Wilkinson, Anita Pugh of Brazil, Dee Thomas of Lafayette, Kyler(Brenda) Thomas of Plainfield and Debbie(Rick) James of Brazil.
He was preceded in death by his parents.