Ronald Francis "Ron" Thomas

Asheville - Ronald Francis Ron Thomas, 64, beloved Husband, Father and Pepere died Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at the Memorial Campus of Mission Hospitals. A native of Brattleboro, Vermont, he had resided in Asheville since 1973 and retired in 1997 from Bell South Telephone Company. He was a member of the Telecom Pioneers through Bell South, a member of Basilica of St. Lawrence and a U.S. Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a son of the late Oliver Edward and Margaret Louise Benoit Thomas and was also preceded in death by a son: Ronald Francis Thomas II; daughter, Elizabeth Margaret Thomas and a brother, Eugene Thomas. Surviving are his wife, Brenda Thomas of the home; children, Michael Thomas, Michele Thomas, Sharalyn Meade, Lisa Martin, Michelle Porter and Jennifer Smith; sisters, Anne Nowak, Maureen Fredette and Jane Thomas; brother, Leo Thomas; 18 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday at Basilica of Saint Lawrence with the Very Reverend Wilbur Thomas, V.F. officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 P.M. Friday at Anders-Rice Funeral Home. Burial will be in Green Hills Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in his name to: Camp Bluebird, Mission Cancer Service, Box 38-SJH, 428 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, N.C. 28801 or to: The Autism Society of NC, 35 Garfield St. Suite F, Asheville, NC 28803