Obituary of Joshua D. Thomas

Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Thomas, US Army, 35 of Fort Drum, NY formerly of Jamestown, passed away unexpectedly Saturday August 20, 2016. He was born August 18, 1981 in Jamestown the son of Tracy Thomas. Joshua enlisted in the United States Army February 24, 2001 as a Combat Engineer (12B). SSG Thomas served an initial five years and seven months of active duty service. He re-entered active duty on October 01, 2007. SSG Thomas served as a Team Leader in the 370th Engineer Company in Bamburg, Germany and the 95th Engineer Battalion in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. SSG Thomas served as a Squad Leader in the 630th Engineer Company. SSG Thomas' deployments include Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo. SSG Thomas' military education includes: Advanced Leader Course, Engineer Explosive Ordnance Clearance Agent Course, Small Arms Instructor, Combat Life Saver Course, Advanced Search, and Route Recon/Clearance Leader Course. SSG Thomas' awards/achievements include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Parachute Badge, the Drivers Badge Wheeled, and the Combat Action Badge. Joshua was a very proud veteran. He loved the outdoors, camping, four wheeling, canoeing, kayaking, and repelling. He loved life and adventure and had a great sense of humor. Spending time with his son and getting family and friends together were the most important things to him. Surviving are his mother of Jamestown; his son, John William "Will" Thomas of South Dayton, NY; two stepsons, Wyatt and Warren Butcher; grandfather, John William Thomas Sr.; uncle, John William (Vicky) Thomas II; aunt, Brenda (Tom) Lang; all of Jamestown; several cousins in England and New York, including Charles (Mercedes) Lawson; Ryan (Trazina) Lawson; of Jamestown; and many friends, especially Todd (Deserae) Klemens and their children, Kayden, Kaylee, and Morgan of Jamestown. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Eileen Thomas and a cousin, Andrew J. Thomas both from England. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday in the Lind Funeral Home. The Rev. William Blair will officiate. Burial with Full Military Honors will follow in Soldiers Circle at Lake View Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Army Emergency Relief Fund.