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Submitted: 1/14/13 • Approved: 1/14/13 • Last Updated: 1/17/13 • R812951-G0-S3
*Obituary
Jacksonville Funeral Home
Freeman Dayton Thomas, age 86 of Jacksonville passed away Thursday, March 4, 2010 in Cabot, Arkansas. Born in Bald Knob, Arkansas, Freeman was preceded in death by his parents, Stephen Robert and Cluster McGhee Thomas and a younger brother, Russell Dale Thomas.
Mr. Thomas grew up in Pangburn, Arkansas and the Judsonia / Searcy area before moving to Little Rock. He started teaching at Joe T. Robinson High School in Little Rock. He taught Biology at Jacksonville Middle and Jacksonville High Schools where he was head of its Science Department. He was voted outstanding Biology teacher one year of his career. He held Masters Degrees in Botany and Zoology with Minors in Art and Music. He helped develop course materials for advanced placement biology courses for the state department of education. He led field excursions for the Arkansas Audubon Ecology Camp, Pinnacle Mountain State Park, and taught summer science sessions for MacArthur Parks Museum of Science and History for many summers. He also lectured on natural history and wrote about edible and medicinal wild plants for Ozark Highways Magazine. He loved the arts including painting and dancing and played classical piano in college. Later in life, he played folk-harmonica and guitar for fun. Freeman enjoyed camping, hiking, fishing; exploring national parks and gulf coast. He belonged to several organizations, including: Partners for Pinnacle, The Mena Nature Club, Arkansas Audubon Society in which he served as president, Arkansas Native Plant Society and the Arkansas Herb Society.
He is survived by companion and friend, Randy. A few of his many fine friends have included Tom and Louise Lovett, Ed and Sue Owens and Steve and David Evans, Jeff and Lenor Girdler, Gerald and Pat Jones, Jim Peacock, Mike Wilson, Paul and Sharon Holt, Bob and Myra Wolfe, Bob West, Randy and Alisa Frazier, Max McCoy and all of their families, also: Bill and Liz Fulton, Rosemary Arnold, Mary Worthen, Neil Curry, James Mullins, Aileen McWilliam, Jimmy and Cleda Driftwood and Geri Bass. He had far too many friends across the state to mention all, but was especially proud of enabling his former students to become biologists, doctors, veterinarians, and other professionals.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at Moores Jacksonville Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 12:30 until 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Arkansas Audubon Society Trust, the Arkansas Nature Conservancy or to the Partners For Pinnacle. Special thanks are due to staff of North Metro Hospital, UAMS Medical Center, and Spring Creek Living Center at Cabot for the kindness, care and patience.
Contributed on 1/14/13 by hawkinsdonna
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Record #: 812951