Edwin William Thomas

Edwin William (Ted) Thomas, 83, of Athens, Georgia passed away Sunday, June 21st at Presbyterian Village of Athens where he had resided for the past year and received loving support and care from their staff.

He was born on January 22, 1943, in Chester, Pennsylvania to Edwin William and Doris (Rash) Thomas. Ted graduated from Claymont High School in Claymont, Delaware in 1960 where he was three-year varsity football letterman and co-captain his senior year and was recognized as the player who demonstrated the most “Spirit and Moral” on the field and received the annual “Butcher” award which recognized, as described on his trophy, the most vicious tackler on the team.

After graduating from high school, he served in the United States Air Force from May of 1961 through May of 1965. A majority of his service was as an Aircraft Mechanic for B52 bombers and KC135-A refueling tankers at Glasgow Air Force Base near Glasgow, Montana and served as an integral part of the World War II effort and operated as a Cold War deterrent to Soviet air invasion coming over Canada and ultimately included The Strategic Air Command.

Ted worked for Colonial Pipeline in Woodbury, New Jersey and Atlanta, Georgia for 30 years in Petroleum Operations and Scheduling. He and his wife, Jackie (Martin) Thomas – the love of his life – relocated from Delaware to Colonial Pipeline’s Corp Headquarters in Atlanta, with their children Brian and Lisa, in February of 1972 and lived in both Norcross and Stone Mountain, GA before Ted retired and he and Jackie moved to Destin, Florida in 1998.

When he wasn’t working for Colonial Pipeline or on a project around the house, which he did often, he enjoyed spending time on the beach in Destin. Ted and Jackie moved back to Cumming, Georgia in 2012 to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Ted is survived by his children Brian (Kathy) and Lisa (Thomas) Harbin and her partner Bo Stephens and 8 grandchildren, Kaylyn, Kristina, Bradley and Bryce and Christopher, Cody, Morgan, and McKenzieand four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Jackie (Martin) Thomas.

The family will have a graveside service at Sawnee View Memorial Gardens in Cumming, GA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to The Caring Hands Fund for the Presbyterian Homes of Georgia.