James Thomas

Derby, Indiana James Doud Thomas, age 77, passed away on August 3, 2015, in hospice care in Mississippi. He was born in Normal, IL, on September 19, 1937, the youngest child of the late Raymond and Mary Alice Thomas. He grew up in Perry County, Indiana, on his family's farm. He was president of his graduating class of 1955 at Tell City High School. After graduating from St. Louis University and earning a M.S. in mathematics, he married Katherine McDaniel of St. Louis, MO, in 1961. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in mathematical statistics from the Pennsylvania State University and had a long career as a university professor. After retirement, he singlehandedly built a retirement home in Milledgeville, GA. He was a member of Knights of Columbus and enjoyed hiking and reading. He is survived by Katherine Thomas, his wife of fifty-four years, and his children, Dr. D. Michael Thomas of Washington, D.C.; Michele Thomas Comana of Swansea, IL; Joseph Thomas, also of Swansea, IL; Matthew Thomas of Prosser, WA; and Stephen Thomas of Mobile, AL. He has fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by one brother, Dr. John Thomas of Columbus, OH. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Joshua Thomas, his brother Gerald Thomas of Tell City, and his sister Patricia Bruner of Perry County, IN. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Leopold, IN, at 10 A.M. CDT on Friday, August 7, 2015, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery in Derby, IN. Rev. Brian Esarey will officiate. Visitation will be 4:00 until 7:00 PM on Thursday and from 8:30 until 9:30 AM Friday at Huber Funeral Home in Tell City. Memorial contributions may be made to the Derby Cemetery Endowment Fund.