Mrs. Thomas

Elizabeth Ann Gray Thomas, widow of James C. Thomas Sr. of Flemingsburg, passed away June 6, 2009, at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington.
She was the daughter of the late Roy C. Gray Sr. and Alice Kerr Hood Gray.
She was preceded in death by her husband, the late James C. Thomas Sr.; a sister, Jane Gray Porter; and two infant brothers, Patrick and Roger Gray all of Flemingsburg.
Mrs. Thomas is survived by sons, Dr. James C. Thomas, Jr., orthopedic surgeon and wife, Laura of Las Vegas, Nev., and Jeffery Gray Thomas, attorney, of Los Angeles, Calif.; two granddaughters, Lindsay Thomas of Los Angeles and Jamie Little of Nevada; Roy C. Gray Jr. (Norma) of Nicholasville, Charles Gray (Shelia) of Munfordville, Lynn Burke (Gerald) of Ewing, John F. Gray of Winchester, Va., Pete Gray (Sherry) of Flemingsburg, Martha G. Prewitt of Flemingsburg, Virginia Foreman (Bill) of Louisville and Sue G. Steffen of Marysville, Kan., as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Thomas was educated in Fleming County and also the University of Cincinnati, College of Business Administration. Mrs. Thomas was an active member of the Republican Party. At the age of 16, she managed the Fleming County Republican Headquarters for presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie. She also was campaign chairman for the Nunn for Governor campaign in 1979., Kentucky co-chairman for the Reagan-Bush campaign in 1984, and Bush-Quayle campaign in 1988. She was elected as member-at-large to the Republican State Central Committee in 1972. In 1978, she was elected to the position of vice chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky. In 1980, she was elected state chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky and re-elected for a second term in 1982. She was also a member of the National Committee while serving as state chairman. She served as vice chairman of the Southern Region of the State Chairmen from 1980 to 1984. Mrs. Thomas was appointed deputy judge of Kenton County in 1988.
Mrs. Thomas was elected delegate to the National Republican Convention in 1976 and 1988. She served on the Platform Committee in 1976. In 1984, having just been elected state party chairman, she resigned delegate seat as each state chairman was seated on the floor of the convention. Mrs. Thomas was the Fourth District governor for the Kentucky Federation of Republican Women from 1968 to 1970, and served as state president from 1970 to 1972.
Mrs. Thomas was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Flemingsburg, the William Dudley Chapter DAR, a charter member of the Kentucky Society of Mayflower Descendants, the Kappa Alpha Theta social sorority of the University of Cincinnati and the Fleming County Garden Club. Mrs. Thomas served on the Board of Directors of Northern Kentucky Mental Health Board and the Governmental Affairs Committee for Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce as well as several community activities including Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, PTA, YMCA, Heart Fund, Cystic Fibrosis and Fine Arts.
Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., today June 8, 2009, at the Denton-Workman Funeral Home in Flemingsburg with services at 8 p.m..
Private services will be held Tuesday, June 8, 2009.
Contributions are suggested to the Fleming County Library and Fleming County Hospital.