Born May 13, 1936, in Marion County, KY, Francis Thomas passed away on May 22, 2025.
Francis is proceed in death by his father, James Robert Thomas; mother, Hattie May (Jarboe) Thomas; sister, Geraldine Thomas Russell; brothers, James Robert Thomas, Lawrence Curtis Thomas, and Joseph Orville Thomas. He is survived by his wife, Patricia (Patty) Pope Thomas of 60 years; daughter, Cheryl Marie Thomas Wood (Wallace Scott Wood); son, Richard Patterson Thomas (Lauri Schwinger Thomas); and four grandchildren, Matthew Wallace Wood (Kim Wood), Reid Patterson Wood, Chad Austin Thomas, and Courtney Regan Thomas.
His family called him Frankie, but his friends knew him as Earl. He was raised on a farm in Marion County KY. After graduating from St. Charles High school, Frankie joined the army and served during the Koran war on Staten Island, New York, as a radar specialist. He was discharged at Ft. Wadsworth, New York, and earned the national defense service medal. He had a 40-year career at the L&N and CSX railroads, retiring in 1998 as the payroll supervisor. During his time working, he earned several service awards and a special award for catching a large error in the payroll. His hobbies were his family first, and then golf. He played for years with a large group of golfers formed at the CSX calling their group the Tour. Frankie had many friends and was very social and lots of fun.
Services will be at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 523 Pablo Ave. Jacksonville Beach FI 32250 on May 30, 2025 at 1:00 pm, with a reception afterward in the Family Life building next to the church. Internment of his ashes will be at Ponte Vedra Valley with the family .
In lieu of flowers make donations to St. Peters Mission Church care of St. Paul's C.C., Community Hospice McGraw Center, 4715 Worrall Way, Jacksonville 32224-1833, or the Down Syndrome of Louisville, 5001 Hurstborne Ln, Louisville, KY 40291.
