Jonas James Thomas was born April 22, 1928 in Ashland, Kentucky, and he died on February 5, 2015 at his home in Daytona Beach, Florida.

During his nearly 87 years, Jonas Thomas was called many things. Sometimes he was called "J. J." His friends from Germany called him "Joey," a name his wife Murph appropriated for her own use. His grandson Hayden called him "My Jonas" and his caregiver and friend Lashandra Miles called him "Mr. Joe." To most people, though, he was just "Joe."

Joe Thomas was called other things throughout his life: Son, Brother, Husband, Uncle, Daddy, Pops, and Grandpa. He was also called Sergeant, Boss, Coach, Neighbor, Friend, Veteran, and Father-of-the-Bride.

Joe was blessed with an abundance of family. He was the eldest son of David Thomas and Linnie Conley and older brother to his surviving siblings, Charles Thomas (and his wife Betty), David Thomas (and wife Carol), Wanoka Schott (and her late husband Leo), Jackie Moore (and her husband Robert), and Jo Schroeder (and her husband Pete). His sister Patricia Bastin preceded him in death in 2002 and her passing at far too young an age broke his heart. Joe's brothers and sisters, and their spouses, were the source of an expanding constellation of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews and Joe loved them all.

The great love of Joe's life was his wife, Marietta (Murph) Lorraine Trew, whom he met in 1958 when they were both working for Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. They married on March 21, 1959, and she was with him almost fifty-six years later when he died.

Their son, Michael James, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, is married to Jennifer Cronin Thomas, and Joe was the "extra grandfather" to Mike's stepchildren, Hannah and Hayden Steiss. When Joe needed to use a nebulizer, he was happy to learn how from his granddaughter/"nurse" Hannah, who had her own experience with breathing treatments. Joe and Murph's daughter, Mary Jo Domann and her husband Michael Domann, of Strongsville, Ohio, are parents to Joe and Murph's grandson, Lance Corporal Justin James Domann.

Joe served in the United States Army and achieved the rank of Sergeant. He was stationed in Hawaii and fought in the Korean War. Last year, Joe had one of his proudest moments watching Justin graduate from basic training as a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

Joe was a graduate of Norwood High School (Cincinnati), attended the University of Cincinnati, a Mason, and a mechanical engineer. He retired from Procter & Gamble, started a second career with FinPan, Inc. in Fairfield, Ohio, and retired from there, as well. Joe and Murph built a house and raised their family in Ross Township, Ohio and for years, they vacationed with their neighbors in Ormond Beach, Florida, which gave Joe a chance to pursue his interest in NASCAR racing by attending the annual Daytona 400 races. For the last two decades of Joe's life, Joe and Murph made Daytona Beach their home.

Joe loved baseball, football, and basketball and was a constant fan of the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Bengals, and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. His love of golf was tempered by his frustration with it, but he was proud of the golf clubs he made for his friends and family.

At the age of 82, Joe became a baptized member of Port Orange Presbyterian Church, where he and Murph attended services. The memorial service for Joe Thomas will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2015 at Port Orange Presbyterian Church, 4662 South Clyde Morris Boulevard, Port Orange, Florida 32129.

In lieu of flowers, the Thomas family asks that those wishing to remember Joe Thomas make a contribution in his honor to the Port Orange Presbyterian Church or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and Volusia and Flagler Hospice .