Helen Amelia Ray Thomas

>Oct. 24, 1924 - July 11, 2014 Helen Amelia Ray Thomas, 89, of Troutman, went to be with her Lord and Savior in her home surrounded by her loving family on Friday, July 11, 2014. She was born on October 24, 1924 in Yancey County to the late Blake Wilson Ray and Ruby Wilson Ray. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Russell Thomas, on April 8, 2014; sisters, Doris Ray and Mary Alice Carroll; and infant son, Donald Lee Thomas. Those left to cherish her memory are her sons, Phillip Thomas and wife, Angie and Ronnie Thomas and wife, Bonita; daughters, Linda Patrick and husband, Michael and Elaine Thomas; grandchildren, Heather Kelley and husband, James, Christopher Thomas and wife, Crystal, Michael Thomas and wife, Michelle, Rusty Thomas and wife, Nicole, Adam Thomas and wife, Lisa, Tracy Harrison and husband, Billy, and Ashley Atherton and husband, Jeremy, Laura Elliott; three brothers, Wilson Ray and wife, Barbara Jean, Lawrence Ray and wife, Mafrey, and Earl Ray. Mrs. Thomas was also blessed with twenty loving great grandchildren. She was a member of Gloryland Baptist Church of Statesville and was dearly loved by her church family. Mrs. Thomas was a homemaker and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She prayerfully supported her husband during his lifetime of ministry and always had a smile and kind word for all who met her. A visitation for family and friends will be held Sunday, July 13, 2014 from 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. at Gloryland Baptist Church, 613 Westminster Drive in Statesville. Funeral services will be held at Gloryland Baptist Church on Monday, July 14 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastors Blain Keaton and Rusty Thomas officiating. Graveside services will follow the service at 4:30 p.m. at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church Cemetery in Burnsville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, NC 28625. The Thomas family would like to thank hospice for the excellent care given to our loved one.