Joseph George Thomas

Joseph George Thomas, passed away at his home in Altamonte Springs, FL, on Saturday, March 30th, 2019. He was 93 years old. Born in New Orleans, LA on August 28, 1925, he attended Fortier High School (NO, LA). Joe was a WWII Veteran having enlisted in the Army Air Force at age 18. He flew thirty-five missions as a ball-turret gunner in the mighty 8th Army Air Force, and received medals with Five Oak Leaf Clusters.

Joe attended LSU, graduating with a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration (1949). He made his career at Southern Bell in Atlanta, Savannah, GA, Orlando, FL, and AT&T in New Jersey and San Francisco.

He met Eileen Margaret Murphy in New Orleans while they were both working at Southern Bell. They married in 1952, and raised five daughters: Robin McCrae, Linda Bean, Holly Erdmann (d 2015),Diane Thomas, and Allison Musante. He was a grandfather to 6: Clarissa McCrae, Cassandra McCrae, Molly Caroline McCrae, Joe Musante, August Rains (d 2015), Maddy Musante, a great-grandfather to Evan Horrigan, and a great-great grandfather to Rowan Horrigan.

Joe was a tennis player, a sailor, a driver of sporty convertibles in a plaid Irish tam. A good listener, a peacemaker on multiple committees and a devout Catholic. He was an active member of St. Margaret Mary and St. Stephen's Catholic churches where he volunteered at Kairos Prison Ministry and Crusio Retreats. Additionally, he served as a Guardian Ad Litem for young people in Seminole County. And he was, always, always, an LSU Tigers superfan.

Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 5 at St. Stephens Catholic Church, 575 Tuscawilla Rd, Winter Springs, FL 32708