Roy Gerald Thomas, 83, of Batesville, passed away Sunday, April 12, 2015 in Batesville. He was born July 22, 1931 in Lake Village, Arkansas to Charles Arl and Vera Rash Thomas. He served honorably in the United States Air Force from 1952-1956 where he received the National Defense Service Medal, UN Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Korean Service Medal. During his time on active duty, he was stationed in Japan for a year and a half, and he had many stories about his experiences there. Roy retired from the Social Security Administration in 1988. During the 27 years that he worked for the agency, he made numerous lifelong friends. In his last position as a field representative, he had the pleasure of travelling to several of the surrounding counties, and had many interesting and humorous stories to share about some of his more memorable experiences. He was a member of the Central Avenue United Methodist Church for 44 years. During that time he served as youth leader, Sunday school teacher, and on numerous committees. He was a member of the United Methodist Men, where he served as secretary/treasurer for over 25 years. He was a member of the chancel choir from 1972-2005 and always took great joy in singing. He served on the board of the Wood-Lawn Nursing Home from 1994-2002 where he also served as secretary/treasurer. He maintained a strong interest in the continued growth and success of this important entity in the community. In his spare time Roy loved to read and was interested in a myriad of topics, including history, geography, and especially Arkansas heritage and folklore. He enjoyed visiting the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View and took great pleasure in meeting the local musicians, including Jimmy Driftwood and Grandpa and Ramona Jones. He was a Civil War buff and visited battle sites all over the country. He enjoyed writing, bird watching, and photography, and won several contests with his photos. He took great pride in collecting music and books which he loved to share with his friends and family. He also loved to spend time outdoors camping, canoeing, and hiking across his beloved State of Arkansas. Survivors include his daughter, Susan Thomas Toups and her husband Robert of Duplessis Louisiana, a daughter-in-law Amanda Crosby Thomas of Batesville, and two grandchildren, Claire and Jackson Thomas of Batesville. He is also survived by a nephew, Bob Stillman of Oklahoma and a niece, Terry Stillman Hayes of Dallas and two "adopted" daughters, Laura Twitty Roach and Elizabeth Twitty Bunch of Batesville. He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years Geraldine "Gerry" Thomas, a son, James Andrew "Andy" Thomas, an infant son, Charles Elmer Thomas, his parents, and a sister. A Celebration of Life service will be held at Central Avenue United Methodist Church on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 2:00 in the afternoon. Honorary pallbearers will be Don Tomlinson, Fred Wann, Taylor Handford, Dane Roach, Nicky Melton, Rick Isley, Vernon Bunch, and Todd Nelson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Geraldine Thomas Scholarship Fund at UACCB, Central Avenue United Methodist Church Elevator Fund, or a charity of your choice. Arrangements are by Willis Funeral Service of Batesville. www.willisfs.com