Jeanine Thomas

Funeral services for Jeanine Dodgen Thomas will be held Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. in the chapel of First Baptist Church of Thomasville. Mrs. Thomas died Saturday, Dec. 17. Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 19, from 4:30-6 p.m. at her home at 114 Winslow Drive. Mrs. Thomas was born July 5, 1929 in Macon, Ga., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Arthur Dodgen. She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, William R. (Bill) Thomas, Jr., and daughter-in-law Carol Hygema Thomas. Mrs. Thomas is survived by her five children: Susan Terry (Zack) of Thomasville and Destin, Fla.; MaryLu Odom (Keith) of Lilburn, Ga.; William R. (Rick) Thomas III and wife Sherry of Monticello, Fla.; John L. Thomas and wife June of Jasper, Tenn.; and Laura Thomas Throop of Gulfport, Miss., along with 15 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. She was their beloved Nana. Mrs. Thomas was baptized at age 12 in the Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta. She graduated from North Fulton High School in Atlanta in 1946 and received her pharmacy degree from the University of Georgia in 1950. While at UGA, she was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and the Alpha Delta Gamma Scholastic Society. In Thomasville, Mrs. Thomas filled in as a pharmacist at the family pharmacy, Thomas Drug Store, while raising a family. She also was active in local civic organizations, serving as a member and past-president of the Junior Service League in Thomasville as well as a member and past-president of the Countess Vandal Garden Club. She was a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, as well. Mrs. Thomas was an active member of First Baptist Church of Thomasville, where she taught first graders for several years and was part of the Woman’s Missionary Union. She and her husband also were active and founding members at Helen First Baptist Church in the North Georgia mountains, where they had a cabin for more than 25 years. The family would like to thank caregivers Betty Gilbert, Kecie Brooks and Ellen Baynard as well as Wayne Glenn who faithfully took care of her yard. In lieu of flowers, the family would like for memorials to be made to First Baptist Church of Thomasville, P.O. Box 2790, Thomasville, GA 31799, and Helen First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 626, Helen, Ga., 30545.