Deacon Jesse Thomas

Jesse James Thomas, Sr., son of the late Tensley and Fannie Mae Bunkley Thomas, entered this world April 29, 1926, and departed this life July 1, 2017. Born in Talbotton, Georgia, a mix of economic advancement and a love of travel brought him to the upstate, where he worked with Sloan Construction Company for many years. Always desiring to explore new things, he was hired as one of two Black police officers breaking the color barrier in law enforcement in Pickens, South Carolina.

After leaving the Pickens Police Force and Sloan Construction Company, he later began a second career at Singer Electric Company where he worked until retirement.

He was a devoted member of Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he proudly served on the Deacon Board and was recently honored as the oldest living deacon of the church. In recent years, he enjoyed the position of doorman at Brookdale Senior Living where you could find him spinning tall tales and poking fun at those who stopped by to spend time with him.

In addition to both parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Ebbin Thomas, and Robert Lee Thomas; sisters, Ida Mae Harvey Rosie Lee Biggs, and Alice Pearl Horton and a son, Michael Thomas.

He leaves to mourn his passing, daughters, Lavon Jones, and Phyllis Rogers of Simpsonville, SC, Bonita (Charles) Holland of Liberty, SC and Terra (Fred) Williams of Clemson, SC.; sons, Jesse Thomas, Jr., of Simpsonville, SC and Jerry Thomas, Atlanta, Georgia; a brother, Sidney Thomas (Berdell) of Atlanta, Georgia; ten grandchildren; eight great-grands and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.