NATCHEZ — Services for Venell Thomas, 69, of Natchez, who died Thursday, Dec. 5, 2008, at Natchez Regional Medical Center, will be at noon Saturday at Morning Pilgrim Baptist Church with the Rev. Joseph Gibson officiating.
Burial will follow at New Hope Cemetery, on Liberty Road, under the direction of Robert D. Mackel and Sons Funeral Home.
Visitation will be from noon to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 11 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church.
Mr. Thomas was born Feb. 12, 1939, in Natchez, the son of Marshall Thomas Sr. and Rosie Lee Briggs Thomas. He was retired from Bakery and Confectionery, in Los Angeles, after 40 years of service.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Marshall Thomas Jr., Edward Thomas and Odell Thomas; one nephew, Charles Thomas; one niece, Tatanisha Thomas; four uncles, Tom Briggs Sr., Saul Briggs, Sonny Briggs and Taboo Briggs; and four aunts, Ella “Totoe” Washington, Louvenia “Tittieboo” Brother, Laura Jones and Queen “Dot” Brother.
Survivors include his wife, Gwendolyn Myles Thomas of Jackson, La.; one sister, Thelma T. January of Natchez; two brothers, Markes Thomas and Hosea Thomas, both of Natchez; paternal sisters, Florence “Essie” Jones, Dorothy Mae Jones and Lillian Moore, all of Natchez, and Jerry Jones of Los Angeles; paternal brothers, Herman Lee Jones and Robert Lee Jones, both of Natchez, and Darrin Jones and wife, Sandra, both of San Antonio, Texas; one uncle, Hosea Briggs of Seattle, Wash.; four stepsisters, Fayola Scott, Estelle Johnson, Bertha Mae Speaks and Geraldine Jackson, all of Natchez; two stepbrothers, Roosevelt Jackson of New Orleans and Henry “Stonewall” Jackson of Natchez; one special nephew, James Thomas and wife, Ernestine; two nephews, Carlos Hosea Woods of Natchez and Sirr Roddick Hickingbottom of Bude; five nieces, Tasha Thomas, Zadier Thomas, Rosie Renee Jackson, Kimberly Cole and Kuristion Hickingbottom; great-nephew, Eric Thomas; two great-great-nephews, T’Uante “Tray” Thomas and Treveon Thomas; and a number of other relatives and friends.
Pallbearers will be Ruben Calvin, Frank Harvard, Henry Logan, Charles Williams, Emanuel Jones and Roger Griffin.