Willie Thomas, 85, of Senath, Mo., died Saturday, April 5, 2008, at Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett.

Born Nov. 9, 1922, in Shelby, Miss., son of the late Benny T. and Nettie M. Gause Odom, he was a security guard for a community college, a member of St. Jude No. 1 Grand Lodge Scottish Rite Temple of Chicago, Ill., and was a member of Mt. Nebo in Blytheville, Ark.

Survivors include his wife, Gloria Thomas, of Chicago; four sons, Paul Jones, of Blytheville, Willie Thomas, Jr., of California, Willie Thomas III, of Senath and Robert Thomas, of Milwaukee, Wis.; four daughters, Pearlie Mae Eason, of Senath, Earnstine Thomas, of Georgia, Gladys Thomas Smith, of Milwaukee and Lakeisha Thomas, of Shreveport, La.;, and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m., today, Friday, April 11, at the Bradshaw Funeral Home Chapel in Kennett.