• Born: 8 December 1941, Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois, USA ²
• Died: 1 September 1969, Cahokia, Saint Clair County, Illinois, USA at age 27 ²
• Buried: 7 September 1969, Murphysboro Township, Jackson County, Illinois, USA ²

   Other names for George were Buddy THOMAS,² George Elvin "Buddy" THOMAS Sr. ² and George Elvin "Buddy" THOMAS Sr..²

  General Notes

Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale, Illinois), Thursday, 04 Sept 1969, p. 3

Search abandoned
   A search party has abandoned efforts to recover the body of George "Buddy" Thomas, 28, of Murphysboro, who apparently drowned Monday in the Mississippi River near Cahokia.
   Officials said he is presumed dead.
   Thomas, who worked on the tugboat Lady Gloria, was swept downstream by a strong river current while swimming.
   He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Thomas of Murphysboro.

~~~~~~~

Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale, Illinois); Sunday, 07 Sep 1969; p 2

Drowning victim's rites set
   A Murphysboro man missing since Monday, when he dived from a boat into the Mississippi River near Cahokia, has been found near St. Louis, Mo.
   George Elvin "Buddy" Thomas Sr., 27, of Rt. 2, Murphysboro, was a deck hand for Inland Oil Transport of St. Louis.  His body was recovered Friday.
   Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today at the Meyer-Denny Funeral Home in Murphysboro.  Sister Irene Chaney will officiate.  Burial will be in Hiller Cemetery south of Murphysboro.
   Mr. Thomas was born Dec. 8, 1941, in Murphysboro, a son of Elvin Edward and Lena Cora Maglone Thomas.
   Mr. Thomas had served in the United States Air Force.
   He leaves his parents of Murphysboro; a son and daughter, of Milwaukee, Wis.; and six sisters.
[obit modified slightly to protect the privacy of living individuals. kmh.]

~~~~~~~~

  Burial Notes

Hiller Cemetery

  Recorded Events in His Life

• He served in the military United States Air Force. ²

• Nickname: Buddy.

• He worked as a serving in the Air Force at Ellsworth Air Force Base on 25 December 1961 in Rapid City, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA.

• He worked as a deck hand for Inland Oil Transport of St. Louis before September 1969 in Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois, USA. ²

• He resided at Rt. 2 In Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois, USA before September 1969. ²

• His funeral was held at 2 pm at the Meyer-Denny Funeral Home on 7 September 1969 in Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois, USA. ² Sister Irene Chaney officiated.

George married Living