Sara G Thomas' Obituary
Sarah Geraldine "Gerry" Gilley Thomas passed away peacefully on November 18, 2022, after an extended illness. Gerry was a devoted and beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. A stalwart of the Memphis community for decades, she was treasured by all who knew and loved her.
Gerry was born on March 7, 1932, in Tifton, Georgia, to parents Sarah Webb and James Charles Gilley, Sr. She subsequently moved with her family to Jacksonville, Florida, where she attended Robert E. Lee High School. There, she met her future husband and father of her four children, Clinton C. Thomas. After studying at the University of Mary Washington and then Florida State University, she and her husband married and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where she lived for the rest of her life.
Gerry and Clinton were adventurous companions who often spent time hunting and fishing together, including an international safari trip. She particularly enjoyed her time spent fishing with her husband at Reelfoot Lake, where they would eat at Boyette's. Many family and friends recall sojourning with them to the lake and enjoying a meal there over the years. She later also became accomplished at both pottery and painting.
An avid supporter of her community, Gerry was an active member of the Christ United Methodist Church, the River Oaks Garden Club, DurArts, and the Duration Club, for which she previously served as president. More recently, she cherished her years spent as a resident of Trezevant Manor, where she volunteered for "Dottie’s Digs" and the "Little Store." Always a giver at heart, she gave unceasingly of herself to those around her, including to a number of causes that were particularly near and dear to her heart.
Gerry was a wonderful mother and friend to her four children, Joan Thomas, Beth Ploch (Tom), Steve Thomas (Mariette), and Carol Blumeyer (Peter). Other surviving family members include grandchildren Lauren Ellison (David) and her children, Abby and Jack; Shelley Spainhour (Fritz) and her child, Cliff; Grace Pipkin (Daniel) and her children, Evie and Luke; Ellen Bolam (Chris); Ivy Thomas; and Peter Blumeyer (Devon). Gerry's entire family would also like to thank her loyal caregivers for their support and assistance in her final years.
To know Gerry was to love her, and those who loved her will miss her terribly. She fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. Her family now humbly entrusts her into God's care, where her years of devotion to the glory of God and service of man will stand her now, and forever, in good stead.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, December 2 at 3:00 p.m. at Trezevant Manor, located at 177 N. Highland Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38111. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family suggests donations in her memory to The Baddour Center, a home for adults with special needs, or a charity of the donor's choice.
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