Sgt. Jim Thomas
Service: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Crossroads Community Church, with burial at Maplewood Road; Visitation: 4-8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at Holt Memorial Chapel.
Sgt. Jim Thomas, of Conway, and formerly of Harrison, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 16 (2020) at his home. He was 78 years old.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at Holt Memorial Chapel.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Crossroads Community Church. Mike Moore will officiate. Burial will be at Maplewood Cemetery. Pallbearers are Jerry Willis, Jerry Watts, Cliff Cottrell, Roy Martin, Boone County Sheriff Tim Roberson and Harrison Police Chief Chris Graddy. Honorary pallbearers include members of the Arkansas State Police, Harrison Police Department, Sherwood Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Department, Joe Paul James, Vixen James, Lt. Col (ret.) John Paul Davis, City of Bergman, Mayor Danny Farmer, and Mike Marvel. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions still in place, face masks must be provided and worn by all guests and social distancing will be expected.
The son of Jim and Mary (Knox) Thomas was born on June 25, 1942, in Richland, Washington.
Sgt. Jim was in the U.S Army Reserves Amphibious Engineers and joined while a senior in high school. He moved to Arkansas in 1962 and joined the state police in 1965. He attended the Arkansas State Police Academy in 1966 and was promoted to Sergeant in 1973. He was honored as Trooper of the Year in 1973 because of his dedicated work with youth across the state. He received the Medal of Valor in 1984 along with numerous other citations and awards during his career with the state police. He was a graduate of the FBI National Academy 101st session. He was the longest serving Sergeant in Arkansas State Policy history, a record that is still in place.
He retired from the Arkansas State Police in 1999 after 33.5 years and took over as Harrison Police Chief. He then took the job as Sherwood Police Chief in 2001 and retired in 2004 and returned to Bergman. Sgt. Thomas then took a job with the Marion County Sheriff’s Department as sergeant in the sex offender’s office, retiring in 2007. He was constable for north Boone County for two years and in 2011 he became the first Police Chief at Bergman. He retired in July 2020 after 55 years in law enforcement.
Jim was leader and volunteer with the Boy Scouts for many years and earned their highest award, the Silver Beaver Award in 1982. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club for many years and was a member and served on the board of the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police. He loved to play piano, deer hunting, and fishing.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two uncles, Father Don Thomas, of Hawaii, and Bud Thomas, of Washington; and a host of other beloved family.
Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Judy Thomas, of the home; three sons, Buckie Thomas and wife, Mandy, of Little Rock, Michael Thomas, of Jasper, and Tim Jackson, of Conway; one daughter, Traci Lock, of North Little Rock; grandchildren, Lacie Thomas O’Bannon and husband, David, of Little Rock, Zac Jackson, of Conway, Maggie Thomas, of Jasper, Aaron Thomas, of Jasper, Kiuana Carter, of Jasper, and Katie Lock, of Little Rock; and host of other family and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Children’s Miracle Network or to the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Children.
Condolences may be left online at www.holtchapel.com .
