Lloyd Thomas, age 89 of Salem, died on Monday, March 15, 2021, at SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon. Lloyd graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 1949 in Oklahoma. He then attended Centralia Junior College and finished his Bachelor of Science in Education degree from McKendree College in Lebanon. He spent 37 years in the Illinois school system teaching in Willow Grove, Bible Grove, Flora, Kinmundy and Salem. He also enjoyed coaching JV basketball for a number of years at each of these schools. Lloyd also worked in the summers as a crop hail adjuster for 30 years with Farmers Mutual of Iowa. He spent his retirement mostly outdoors mowing his lawn and playing golf. He had three holes-in-one. He also enjoyed bowling and competed in various tournaments in the area. Lloyd had multiple 299 games….never quite made that perfect 300 score. He followed and cheered on Illinois college basketball, the Memphis Grizzlies, and of course St. Louis Cardinals baseball. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Funeral Services for Lloyd Thomas will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, March 19, 2021, at Crouse Funeral Home in Salem with Pastor Rae DeLao officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until the time of the service. Interment will be in Paradise Cemetery in Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Lloyd’s honor to Trinity United Methodist Church Mission Fund or to a charity of the donor’s choice and can be left at Crouse Funeral Home. Online condolences and memories of Lloyd can be left at www.CrouseFH.com or on the funeral home’s Facebook page.
He married Clara Jane Simpson on October 2, 1953, in Salem and she survives in Salem. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Debra Thomas Davies and her husband Bill Hezel of Memphis, TN; one brother, Tommy Joe Thomas and wife Shirley of Dow; two sisters-in-law, Patsy Thomas of Farina and Wilma Thomas of Borger, TX; and eight grandchildren, Thomas, Lloyd and Alisha Hezel of Memphis, TN, Kris Hezel and wife Katy of Little Rock, AR, Valarie (Hezel) Miller and husband Michael of Hernando, MS, Beth (Hezel) Lisenby and husband Keith of Lake Mary, FL, Eve (Hezel) Webster and husband Joel of Senatobia, MS, and Kathy (Hezel) Adair and husband Dave of Lake Cormorant, MS.
He was born on March 31, 1931, in Seminole, Oklahoma, the son of Barney and Nellie (Melton) Thomas. He was preceded in death by his parents; and three brothers, Billy Thomas, Virgil Thomas and wife Earline, and Jimmy Dale Thomas.
