Oct 16, 2012

Retired W&J maintenance supervisor John Ralph Thomas, 74, of Washington, died Sunday, October 14, 2012, in HCR ManorCare, McMurray. He was born May 20, 1938, in Washington, a son of the late Harold Yancey and Odella Fullum Thomas. Mr. Thomas was a veteran of the U.S. Army and worked at Washington & Jefferson College for 37 years, retiring as maintenance supervisor. An avid sports fan, he especially enjoyed the Steelers, Notre Dame and the Dodgers. He loved spending time with his family. On September 26, 1959, he married Betty L. Barfield, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, John R. Thomas Jr. and Curtis Thomas, and two daughters, Cynthia Thomas and Lorri Thomas, all of Washington; six brothers, Benny (Patty) Thomas of Washington, Donald (Jay) Thomas, Moses Thomas and Robert (Toni) Thomas, all of Michigan, Richard Thomas of Washington and Isaac Thomas of Pittsburgh; four sisters, Della Wise of Canonsburg, Myrtle Mathis, Becky (Robert) Fields and Mary Thomas, all of Washington; 10 grandchildren, Curtis Jr., Travis, Cedric, Jordan, Kori, James, Bryan and Rhamir Thomas, Eugene Scott and Kera Holmes; and seven great-grandchildren. Deceased are two sisters, Doris Keene and Rita Thomas. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, October 19, in Nazareth Baptist Church, 123 North Lincoln Street, Washington, with the Rev. Marshall Davis officiating. Burial will follow in Washington Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded graveside by American Legion Edwin Scott Linton Post 175. Additional information and a guest book are available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.