Amato | Julia Terrill ‘Terry’ Thomas
DATE | Settembre 22, 1922 – Ottobre 26, 2011
CIMITERO | Christ Church, St Simons Island, GA
POSIZIONE IN CIMITERO | Enter ‘New’ cemetery go straight from entrance gate 55 yards and the lot is on the left by the road.
Funeral Home | Edo Miller & Case Sons Funeral, 3321 Glynn Ave, Brunswick, GA 31520 - T: 912 265 3636
Julia Terrill Thomas, a resident of Sea Island, passed away peacefully Wednesday, October 26th, at the age of 89, at Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center. A celebration of her life will take place on Tuesday, November 1st, with a graveside service at 2 p.m. at the upper (or new) area of Christ Church Cemetery with a reception following at the Parish Hall.
Miss Thomas, known as Terry to friends and family, wished to be remembered for her efforts to support agencies that served as a tool to better the lives of others, her intolerance for discrimination, her love of animals and nature and her deep interest and concern for the Golden Isles community. Her compassion and generosity truly served to shape our community reaching well beyond the boundaries of our area through cooperative programs that reached out to others in need. Although bricks and mortar bear her family name she cared most about the lives that the facilities and programs effected. She felt especially blessed for the role she was able to have in the community. Her love of animals was exhibited with her many dogs from the Coastal Georgia Humane Society, having as many as four at one time in her household. Her beloved Heddy, pictured above, was her last pet she shared her home with.
Julia Terrill Thomas was born on September 12, 1922, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, one of the twin daughters (preceded in death by Alix Powers) of George Comyns Thomas, Jr. and Julia Stamm Thomas. She attended Vail-Deane School in Elizabeth, Madeira School in Greenway, Virginia, and Pine Manor Junior College, then in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Miss Thomas was an avid athlete winning numerous awards in tennis and golf as well as enjoying swimming and boating. When World War II interrupted her education, she worked for her father at Thomas and Betts Corporation then in Elizabeth, New Jersey. At the war’s end she worked in New York for Lippencott and Margulies, industrial designers. She came to the Cloister at Sea Island in the spring of 1958 for a three week vacation with her parents and as she would say to friends, she never left. She stated later that she found the area quite different from New York, much more informal and friendly. She assumed the role of Activities Director for the Sea Island Company, organizing the first tennis tournaments that would develop into the renowned tennis program continuing today. Other responsibilities included social functions, holiday events and children’s activities, as she would state, long before there was a large Junior Staff to help with the children. She considered the friends and relationships she developed with the Jones family, Sea Island Company and staff and guests the best aspects of her position. In 1991 she was the recipient of the Alfred W. Jones Sr. Award from the Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce, reflecting her dedicated leadership and service, an award she especially coveted in addition to the Sea Island Spirit Award in 1974.
After retirement from Sea Island Company Miss Thomas truly opened her heart to the Golden Isles community and had a profound impact on its many agencies. She was willing to give her time, talent and treasure, epitomizing the volunteer spirit. She started her significant community involvement with the Boys Club of Glynn in 1976 and would serve as President numerous years. Two of the facilities were named in her honor due to the support she provided in addition to endowing a trust to ensure the organization’s future and remained an Honorary Member of the Board of Directors.
Miss Thomas also worked closely with the Coastal Georgia Community College Foundation serving on numerous committees, and was named an Emeritus Member of the Foundation for her generous support of the college. She recognized the need for scholarship funding for students and provided for the completion of the Continuing Education Center on campus, a facility that was named in her honor and she was recognized with awards by the college in 1984 e 1995.
Her support of the YWCA culminated in 1991 with the naming of the new facility in her honor and the Intergenerational Center in honor of her mother. She was involved in each aspect of the facility’s development and again provided funds that would assist in completing the new center. She was a key member of the
Foundation Board of the Y and remained a Foundation Director Emeritus. She was recognized at the Y’s Tribute to Women for her numerous contributions.
Miss Thomas provided the means for the United Way to relocate to the YWCA’s old facility at Union Street location. She served on the United Way’s Board of Director’s and was always willing to support their financial efforts in the community, receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award in 1989.
She also was a founding member of the Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center Foundation generously supporting the Foundation efforts and the special events that took place for hospital and patient support. She was a firm believer that it was imperative to have the best healthcare possible in her community.
She is a Foundation Director Emeritus for the Brunswick Rotary and was recognized as an Honorary Rotarian which began her weekly attendance to the meetings, always with an energetic and cheerful attitude. Other awards included the Women of South Coastal Georgia Award in 1990, the Exchange Club Book of the Golden Deeds Award in 1993.
In addition to these many efforts Miss Thomas found time and energy to provide a facility for The American Heart Association; hammered nails with Habitat for Humanity, supported Amity House, a battered women’s shelter; provided key support for MAP International, assisting with medical support for US disasters and overseas; supported the Alzheimer’s Association with funding that would be critical for needs in the community and was a founding Board Member of the Southeast Coastal Georgia Humane Society. Other charitable efforts included the Historical Society, Frederica Academy, American Red Cross, Share (Easter Seals), Hospice of the Golden Isles, Friends of the Library, Mary House Day Care, Mental Health Association, Safe Harbor, Salvation Army, International Seamen’s House, Saint Marks Church, Frederica Presbyterian and the American Cancer Society.
Miss Thomas embraced this community quietly and supported efforts without fanfare, hoping to enrich the lives of others. She felt she got far more credit then she deserved, reflecting her selfless nature. She had said that when people thanked her for all that she had done, she felt it was important to thank them for allowing her to help, as there was mutual admiration on her part. As a past President of Brunswick Rotary summarized, her achievements and contributions have advanced the missions of numerous organizations, giving them the means to help people of all ages, races and backgrounds. Her generosity to our community has been immense and is still being measured. As she quietly exits this community physically, her kindness has produced a legacy that will survive for years to come.
Miss Thomas leaves behind a brother, Edward D. Thomas and wife Penny of Princeton, New Jersey; a brother George C. Thomas, III and wife Helen, of Temple Terrace, Florida in addition to numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers contributions should be made to the charity of choice.