Wednesday, 16 August 2023

Eugene (Gene) Foster Thomas died peacefully at home on August 14, 2023. He was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. He was 78 years old.

Gene was born in 1945 to Carroll Douglas Thomas and Viola (Strigle) Thomas of Gloucester, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Linda (Bing) Thomas. He is survived by his wife, Amanda Lee Thomas of Arlington, Virginia; his brother Carl Douglas Thomas of Moon, Virginia; his two children William Douglas Thomas of Richmond, Virginia and Gloucester, Virginia, and Jennifer Thomas Martin of Inwood, West Virginia. He has five grandchildren, William Douglas Thomas, Jr., Christopher Ryan Thomas, Lyndsay Page Thomas, Jed Thomas Adams, Danielle Wolfrey, and seven great grandchildren.

He was a graduate of Christopher Newport College with a B.A. in Philosophy in 1979, Virginia Union University School of Theology with a Master of Theology in 1983, and Boston University School of Theology with a Doctor of Ministry in 1993.

He started his professional work as an entrepreneur, a part owner of M&G Transportation in Gloucester, Virginia. There wasn’t a truck driving down Virginia highways that he didn’t love and trucking companies that he wasn’t familiar with. He relished contributing to his family business and helped build up the business model until the Lord called him into ministry.

Gene served as a United Methodist pastor for the Virginia Conference in churches in the Northern Neck, Winchester, Alexandria, New Market, Virginia Beach, and Arlington. He entered the ministry from the Salem United Methodist Church in Mathews, Virginia, and was ordained a United Methodist Deacon in 1982, and an Elder in 1985. He served as an assistant on the Rehoboth Charge consisting of Bluff Point, Wicomico,Rehoboth and Mila United Methodist Churches. He pastored the Northern Frederick Charge consisting of Rest, White Hall and Mount Pleasant United Methodist Churches. He served as the senior pastor of Kernstown, Lincolnia, Manor Memorial, Thalia, and Clarendon United Methodist Churches. He retired from the ministry in 2014. In addition, he was active in the Emmaus community.

He was a man of God who loved to worship. He loved and appreciated many forms of worship and was eager to share his vast knowledge with anyone who loved to worship the Lord. This includes high church, contemporary, Taize and others. Because he had an artist’s eye, he appreciated and incorporated many artistic elements to his worship including using a church’s architecture to highlight elements of worship. He also had a special place in his heart for men’s ministry.

After his retirement, he spent much time serving as a member of the Virginia Society of the Sons of American Revolution (VASSAR) which he was a past president of the George Mason Chapter and a past State chaplain of the VASSAR. He also served as a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Arlington, a docent at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., a member of the Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society, and the Washington Golf and Country Club. He preached the word of God for Rick Bonfim Ministries and painted which he didn’t have much time before his retirement.

He was a devoted husband to both Linda and Amanda. He was a devoted father and PawPaw to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a dapper, fastidious, and meticulous man. He wore his formidable intellect lightly and preferred to be known as a country boy. He was a man who was born in a small, rural town but relished traveling the world to see his favorite art. Above all, he was a gentle man, who loved and was loved.

A funeral service is scheduled for 10:30 am on Friday, August 25, 2023, at the Clarendon United Methodist Church. A reception is scheduled to follow at noon at the Washington Golf and Country Club. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the men’s group (Murky Men) at the Clarendon United Methodist Church, Manor Memorial United Methodist Church, Rick Bonfim Ministries, and the Virginia Society of Sons of American Revolution.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.murphy-fh.com for the Thomas family.