Lewis E. Thomas

Lewis E. Thomas, 67, of Benton Harbor, passed away Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Tuesday at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd. St. Joseph with Pastor Jason Fuller officiating. Burial will follow at Keeler Cemetery. Friends may call from 2-5 P.M. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Michigan Kidney Foundation. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Thomas was born September 23, 1939 in Athens, Alabama to Roy & Thelma (Cosby) Thomas. On June 3, 1957, he married the former Georgia Spruell in Benton Harbor. Lewis was employed by Benton Harbor Malleable, Continental Can Co., and most recently, Hyster Lift Truck Co. as a mechanic. He was the former president of the Allied Molders Union. Lewis enjoyed deer hunting and classic cars. He was currently working on restoring an old Pontiac with his son and grandson. Most of all, Lewis enjoyed watching his grandchildren play baseball and softball. Lewis is survived by his wife Georgia; two sons-Don Thomas of Coloma, Mark Thomas of Benton Harbor; five grandchildren-Scott Thomas, Adam Thomas, Austin Thomas, Monica Thomas, Rachel Thomas; and four sisters-Reba (Duane) Duren of Marietta, GA, Edith Christiano of Killen, Alabama, Elaine Holden of Killen, Alabama, Juanita Freeman of Manitou, Utah, and Pat (Tommy) Beddingfield of Athens, Alabama. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers-Bernard Thomas in 1971, David Thomas in 2004, and by a sister Ivine Hoffman in 1992.