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Rev. Darrell D. Thomas Obituary

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Rev. Darrell D. Thomas

Pleasant Hill, CA

May 18, 1929 - March 28, 2020

Rev. Darrell D. Thomas Obituary

REV. DARRELL D. THOMAS
May 18, 1929 March 28, 2020 

 Darrell D. Thomas, 90, passed away Saturday, March 28, 2020. He was born in Wellington, KS to Guy Milton Thomas and Lottie (Fenton) Thomas. The family moved to Dos Palos, CA in 1929. 

He was educated at Modesto High School, MJC, College of Pacific, and Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. 

Darrell was a lifelong Methodist and had a calling to the ministry when he was still a teenager. It was at the same church that he met and married Donna Bennetts Thomas in 1950. They raised four children. 

 Survivors include children Keith Thomas (Tamara) of Cambria, CA; Jill Wright (Tim) of Williams, CA; Joan Grier of San Leandro, CA; brother Gary Thomas (Susan) of Turlock; brother-in-law Rick Bennetts (Cynthia) of Redding, CA; six grandchildren Spencer Thomas, Frank Thomas (Jordan), Ross Thomas (Beth), Emily Vigor (Neeraj), Jared Wright (Annie) and Taylor Wright (Jennifer). Great grandchildren Jeremiah and Eli Thomas, Millie Thomas, Vincent and Rachel Wright, and Jai Vigor Bhatia and many dear nieces and nephews.
 He was preceded in death by his wife Donna Thomas in 2003 and his daughter Judith Vigor in 1986. 

With Donna by his side playing the organ, they served many churches: Point Richmond UMC, Earlimart UMC, Centenary Modesto UMC, St. Paul's Manteca UMC, San Leandro UMC, and Lodi UMC. 

Upon retirement from the Methodist Church, Darrell went on to work for another decade for UOP as 
Director of Church Relations and Alumni Student Recruitment and developed their Bishop's Scholar program. 
He traveled throughout the conference in California, Nevada, and Hawaii to recruit high school students and present them with scholarships. 
Darrell had a great love for music and sang throughout his life to the very end. After Donna's passing in 2003, Jill and Tim built him a home on their property in Williams, CA, where he resided for 12 years. He loved living in this small farming community surrounded by walnut and almond orchards and attending the local Parkside Methodist Church. He spent his last four year at Carnelian Assisted Living in Walnut Creek, CA, where he passed after a series of strokes.

 A memorial service will be held at a future date. Darrell's ashes will then be interred at Lakewood Memorial Park in Hughson, CA. 

Memorial contributions may be made to: 
1) UOP Endowment for Bishop’s Scholar program file:///C:/Users/joan/Downloads/Darrell%20Thomas%20UOP%20Endowment%20for%20Bishops%20Scholarship%20(1).htm 
2) Hospice of the East Bay https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1456   3) Parkside United Methodist Church P.O. Box 515 Williams, CA 95987

To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Rev. Darrell D. Thomas hosted by Tradition Care Funeral Service.

Events

Event information can be found on the Official Obituary of Rev. Darrell D. Thomas.