Malcolm Earl Thomas

Mr. Malcolm Earl Thomas, 93, of Blytheville passed from this life on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at the Manila Nursing Center. Born in St. Petersburg, Fla., to Calhoun M. and Annie Gough Thomas, he was a veteran of the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War.

He attended the Ruddle Road Church of God and was a member of the St. Petersburg Masonic Lodge No. 139 since 1968. He enjoyed music, traveling, and woodworking, especially building birdhouses. He loved to reminisce about his days in the Navy. He had a deep love for the state of Florida and loved to go on fishing excursions. Mr. Thomas loved to talk and had a witty character about him. He always tried to give you a quarter for a compliment and was a gentle man with a warm and loving spirit.

Attending the Ruddle Road Church of God for the past nine years, he recently spent a lot of his time with the new pastor Danny Pankey with whom he had developed a genuine friendship. A Florida native most of his life, he retired and moved to Mena until 1999 when he made Blytheville his home. He met and married Thella Thomas in 2001. They loved to travel together and spent many years touring with the Mo-Ark Travelers club as well as visiting family in Florida. He was also especially fond of his two white Persian cats, "Big Boy" and "Caboodle."

His parents; a brother, Hugh Thomas; two sisters, Irene Makin and Camilla Ackett; and his beloved daughter, Pamela Irene Thomas, who died at an early age and of whom he spoke of often, all preceded him in death.

He leaves his wife, Thella Warren Thomas of the home;

A daughter, Patricia Earleen Thomas White of Clearwater, Fla.;

Six step-children, Larry Warren of Aurora, Ill., Linda Luttrell of Blytheville, Carol Hearn of Dell, Gary Warren of Dekalb, Ill., Brenda Allen of Mountain Home and Sharon May of Chesapeake, Va.; and

Two grandchildren, 14 step-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Ruddle Road Church of God with the Rev. Danny Pankey officiating. Condolences may be e-mailed to cobbfuneralhome@sbcglobal.net