J. Edward Thomas, 101

RHODESDALE, Md. - The Lord called on J. Edward Thomas on Wednesday, June 25, 2008, at the Chesapeake Woods Center in Cambridge with a beautiful room waiting for him. He was 101.

Born in Ridgely, on Dec. 28, 1906, he was the son of the late Arrow Aldred and Grace May Walker Thomas.

His early years were spent in the Ridgely and Hillsboro area. He later attended school and lived in the Rhodesdale area where he was known as "little Eddie" and "Grit," as he was a delivery boy for the Grit newspaper.

Mr. Thomas had worked for Ed Seller and DuPont's in Seaford, Del., and was a retired farmer.

He was a Maryland Minute Man and with Company C of the National Guard of Cambridge in 1942.

Mr. Thomas married the former Mary Gladys Coleman of Preston in July of 1930, she passed away on Dec. 31, 1987.

He was preceded in death by a son, David Thomas; a son-in-law, Charles Lowe; a son-in-law, David Medford; a daughter-in-law, Jean Thomas; a granddaughter, Mary Ellen Lowe; his brothers, Aldred, Myron, Carlton, and Harold; his sisters, Mrs. Wilbur Hurley Sr., Mrs. James Christopher, Mrs. Francis Rue, Mrs. Dorothy Ford, and Mrs. Peyton Horne; and by many nieces and nephews.

He is survived by his daughters, Effie Hatheway and her husband Rev. Ora Hatheway of Seaford, and Betty Lowe of Hurlock; a son, William E. Thomas of Felton, Del.; 12 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Thomas regularly drove himself to Brookview United Methodist Church where he loved to sing solos and enjoyed fellowship with all of his friends.

A funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday in Williamson Funeral Home, 311 S. Main St., Federalsburg, with Rev. Delmar Willey and Rev. Ora Hatheway officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the funeral service.

Interment will be next to his wife in the Unity Washington Cemetery, Hurlock.

The family requests that instead of flowers, donations be made to either the Brookview Church, 5474 Indiantown Road, Rhodesdale, MD 21659; or to the National Federation of the Blind, P.O. Box 7482, Baltimore, MD 21227-0482.