Bennie Lee Thomas, Sr.

MR. BENNIE LEE THOMAS, SR., 90 of BOWIE, MD formerly of MT. Gilead, NC, Albemarle, NC and Asheboro, NC, passed away Friday, December 4, 2020, in Washington, DC.

(Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic everyone attending the service must wear  a mask or facial covering during the service and the Public Viewing at the Funeral Home and please use the Hand Sanitizing station when entering and exiting the building.)

Graveside Services with Military Honors will be held 11:00 am Thursday, December 17, 2020  at the  Mount  Zion AME Zion Church Cemetery, 6748 Hwy 73 West, (Pee Dee Community), MT. Gilead, NC.

A public viewing will be held 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Harris Funeral Home & Cremations of MT. Gilead, NC.

Mr. Bennie Lee Thomas, Sr. , was born on Tuesday, May 13, 1930, to the late Winfield Thomas Sr., and Ethyl Williams Thomas in Montgomery County, Mt. Gilead, NC.  He was the youngest of five siblings.  Mr. Thomas was called to his heavenly home, at the age of 90, on Friday, December 4, 2020.

Mr. Thomas was educated in the North Carolina public Schools and graduated from Peabody High School, Troy, NC.  He attended Johnson C. Smith  University, Charlotte, NC, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology.

Mr. Thomas accepted Christ at an early age and joined Mt. Zion A.M.E. Zion Church, where he met the love of his life, Catherine O. Green and where both families attended.  They grew up together in  Christ  at Mt. Zion and they married in South Carolina on June 27, 1953.  They were marrried for 67 years.  He later became a member of Wesley Chapel AME Zion Church in Asheboro, NC where he served as the Lay Council President for the Greensboro District-West Central North Carolina,  Although he was 90 years old, his mind was still sharp and able to give good advicel

Mr, Thonas served his country in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War, where he received the  National Defense Medal in 1953.

Mr. Thomas was a Researcher at the National Institute of Health, where he retired as an educator of General Studies ane Mathematics  and  Biology with Dorchester County, Cambridge, Maryland; Carolina County Maryland, Denton MD.,  and Louisa, VA.  He was an Insurance Salesman and Staff Manger at North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance..

Mr. Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Winfield Thomas, Sr,. mother, Ethyl W. Thomas; son, Bennie Lee Thomas, Jr; sister; Zelma Scarborough; brothers, Winfield Thomas, Jr.,  Browdis Thomas, and Steven Thomas.

He leaves to cherish loving memories to his beloved wife, Catherine O. Thomas of Bowie MD; son, Christopher Thomas of Bowie, MD; daughters, Crystal Sutherlin of Upper Marlboro, MD; Pennellophia Jenkins (Tyrone) of Hyattsville, MD; 10 grandchildren, Gregory Sutherlin, Kristin Leftridge, Angel Jenkins, Tina Jenkins, Jerome Jenkins, Jasper Jenkins, Brittany Davis, Krishna Leftridge, Imani Jackson and Jalen Wentz; 7 great-grandchildren, Khalil Sutherlin, Joshua Jenkins, Jake Jenkins, Mason Jenkins, Ivy Jenkins, Zeus Leftridge and Titan Leftridge; brother-in-law, Mr. Jackie Kilgore, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and dear friends,