Roger Thomas
Milton Roger Thomas was born on July 2, 1938 in Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the second of three children of Milton Ward “Chuck” Thomas and Martha Elizabeth Crawford Thomas. His father Chuck, was a prominent civic leader and farmer and a native of Trigg County and Martha was also a native of Trigg County and had worked as a director of a servicemen’s center. Roger was a descendant of Starkie Thomas. Roger’s siblings were Norma Gail Thomas, born in 1936, and married Robert Clive Gold and then married Richard Lawrence McKillip and a third husband, Ernest Linwood Hardy, Jr.; and John Ward Thomas, born in 1944, and married Patricia Ellis and then married Patsy Melanie Davis and a third wife, Stacy Winders.
Roger grew up on his family farm located near Canton and attended the Canton Grade School. He moved to Hopkinsville in 1952 and attended Hopkinsville High School for two years before transferring to Columbia Military Academy in Columbia, Tennessee where he graduated. He then attended Murray State University where he graduated with a degree in engineering.
Roger began his career as a chemistry and math teacher at Trigg County High School in Cadiz. He left the teaching profession after seven years and devoted his full-time attention to his real estate business, the Century 21-Thomas Real Estate Company. He became a founding member of the Trigg County Industrial Development Committee and actively sought new industry and growth in the community. He also was involved in promoting tourism for the county. As a member of the Trigg County Tourist Commission, he helped to organize and promote boat races and bass tournaments which increased the number of tourists in the area. In 1970, Roger was one of the founding directors of the Bank of Cadiz. He served as a director until near the end of his life.
On June 4, 1957, Roger married Margaret Joyce “Peggy” Allen at the Cadiz Baptist Church in Cadiz. Peggy was born October 27, 1934 and was the daughter of William Orville Allen and Ruth Moorefield Allen. Peggy was a descendant of Drewry Bridges. Roger and Peggy were the parents of two sons, Allen Ward Thomas, born in 1958 and married Shelia Lane Littlejohn Jones and Mark Crawford Thomas, born in 1960 and married Maranita Kathleen Roberts and later married Lisa Fuller Oliver. Roger and Peggy’s marriage subsequently ended in divorce.
On November 8, 1975, Roger married his second wife, Elizabeth Ann Rogers. Ann was born on August 27, 1944 in Trigg County and was the daughter of Kenneth L. Rogers and Alberta Lyons Rogers. After their marriage, Ann obtained her real estate license and worked with her husband in his real estate business. Roger and Ann had no children, but Roger had two stepchildren, Treav Tooke and Carla Tooke from Ann’s previous marriage.
Roger died at his home in the Canton community on June 24, 1984 at the age of 45. He had been diagnosed with cancer. He was buried in the Lawrence Cemetery in Trigg County. Posthumously, Roger was honored by having a street leading into the Industrial Park named the Roger Thomas Drive.
Roger Thomas tombstone
LINEAGE: (Milton Roger Thomas was the son of Milton Ward “Chuck” and Martha Elizabeth Crawford Thomas and the grandson of William Robert “Willie” and Emma Rogers Thomas. William Robert was the second child of Robert Allison and Emma Nora Cunningham Thomas. Robert Allison was the fifth child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas. Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas. Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standly Thomas.)
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