Mr. Laurence Elnoy Thomas

August 21, 1924 - December 27, 2016

Born is a man of many phases of life. His life is somewhat like a kaleidoscope, Laurence Elnoy Thomas was born in Cairo, Kentucky, Henderson county on August 21,1924 . He was the first of seven children born to Charles Dorris Thomas and Sally Hughes Thomas. The earliest part of his life was spent on the farm when he was approximately five years of age his mother and two other children relocated to eastern Kentucky to join his father in the coal fields in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. Laurence went to elementary school the family lived mostly in areas of Eastern Kentucky in the mountains in howls of coal mining places. He still got quite a chuckle from some of the names of the areas such as pigeon creek, turkey hollow, hoody and pine creek to name a few. When he was ready to attend high school it was very difficult, the nearest Kentucky school was thirty three miles away, Laurence had to attend high school in Williamson there was no transportation so he walked back and forth to school. The school mates that he walked with were tall and had long legs which made it hard for Laurence to walk with them. Laurence got tired of trying to keep up, he resolved the problem by hiding from them so he could walk to school at his own pace. Laurence lived in Aflex , KY from 1928 until his high school graduation in 1942, he successfully graduated from Liberty high school in 1942, He went to Charleston, West Virginia to a trade school to study electricity. Laurence went to work at an early age, he had various jobs. He went to Norfolk, Virginia to work in the Navy yard and worked jobs from construction worker to mobile home salesman, from factory worker, to hospital aide, from furniture store to chemical plant. After the death of his parents his siblings turned to him as head of the family. After World War II started he came home to work on the farm. Worked on Cardinal Farms in Henderson County, Kentucky picking peaches. But later decided to join the Army ,in 1945 he joined and trained at Camp Lee and Fort Dix. He shipped out of Camp Kilmer, New Jersey to La Harve, France. Then to Bomberg, Germany then to Wierbadan, Biebeck, Germany. His military career ended at Camp Kilmer where he was honorably discharged in 1947. His overseas tour was mostly spent in Germany. After his discharge from the Army he returned to Kentucky. Laurence has always been of a quiet nature but jovial in many ways. He temporally played several instruments when he was young. These included the accordion, guitar, harmonica, and the old-fashioned pump organ. He also enjoyed singing He could captivate any audience of any age with his wit and knowledge. Laurence became the family patriarch in 1975 after his father died. He was always devoted to the church and a very good Bible student . He had also taught Sunday school. Laurence married Gertrude Woolfolk and they had six children, two of the children, Martin and Joyce died at birth, Gertrude passed in June of 1990. After his wife's death he and two of his younger sisters traveled frequently to West Virginia, Georgia and Minnesota .He also spent a lot of his time at church attending family and school functions along with the visiting various historical and recreational places. He had two very special trips: one was to San Francisco, California to see his brother James and the other was a cruise with his wife Saundra after his 80th birthday In 1995 Laurence married Saundra Steward. Saundra had four children and he had four children . They called themselves the Brady Bunch. Everyone wanted to him to be happy and enjoy his later years, Laurence was designated as the favorite Uncle by the nieces nephews and their friends there were very many cousins who also called him Uncle Laurence He loved to arrive very very early in the morning on a special occasion to any of his relatives homes sometimes before they were awake. He loved to make his "famous" drop biscuits on the mornings of the family reunions while his sister cooked salmon patties and rice for breakfast. Anyone and everyone was welcome in his home. After the death of his first wife he taught himself to crochet. He was always up for a good challenge. Everyone wanted to him to be happy and enjoy his later years, Laurence was designated as the favorite Uncle by the nieces nephews and their friends. There were very many cousins who also call him Uncle Laurence .It was often said that Lawrence had more nieces and nephews than anybody else. Laurence was the family historian, and he told many stories and antidotes about him and his family. It was really a hilarious and enjoyable time whe he shared those rare tidbits. His loving and praying nature was appealing to all around him. He resided near the home place where he was born,for the rest of his years. Even though there where some good times and bad times he would be the first to let you know that, DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME” Laurence was preceded in death by his parents Charles Dorris and Sally Beatrice(Hughes) Thomas, his first wife Mary Emma Gertrude Thomas, three sisters; Joyce Francis Thomas,Ellen McCain and Helen Sullivan. Three brothers Martin Kent Thomas, Herman E Thomas Sr. and James C Thomas and one daughter Marie Thomas-Posey. He leaves to cherish his memory his loving and devoted wife Saundra J Thomas, daughters Shirley Thomas and Barbara Hawkins, son Carl Patrick Thomas. Stepsons Terrence E Jones, Thomas D (Anita) Jones and Ronald P Jones. Stepdaughter Constance Hutcherson, sister/daughter Margaret Anita (Robert) Reed. Brother Hugh Willis (Dorothy) Thomas. And special daughter Brenda Hall, also he leaves a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, with many many nieces, nephews cousins and friends. Funeral Service is 1:00 Saturday January 7,2017 with visitation from 12pm until 1pm at Christian Tabernacle,1041 Washington Ave ,Evansville, IN 47714