Jill Thomas

Ms. Jill Thomas, 68, of Cookeville, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, at her residence. A Celebration of Memories, where friends and family will be gathering to rejoice in her love and spirit which touched so many hearts, is planned for Sunday, February 16, 2014 from 1:00pm-3:00pm at Fuji’s Restaurant, 864 S. Jefferson, Cookeville, TN (931) 528-9379. Please join us. Jill was born Aug. 28, 1945, in Chicago, Ill., to the late Parker W. Thomas Sr. and Norma Gene Gillingham Thomas. She was a good athlete, playing field hockey in high school, and was a member of the women’s golf team at Michigan State University. After graduating, she taught school for several years before moving to New York City, where she honed her writing and business office skills. She moved to Cookeville 20 years ago where she was a reporter for the Herald-Citizen and an adjunct professor in English at Tennessee Tech University. She loved to travel and spent five years in South Korea teaching English, while keeping her roots in Cookeville. Above all, Jill had faith in her church. It was her primary focus throughout her life. As a result, her life was filled with love, kindness, gentleness, goodness, patience, joy and peace. Memorial donations may be made to the Putnam County Humane Society, P.O. Box 995, Cookeville, TN 38503, www.humanesocietyofputnamcounty.org/donate. Dyer Funeral Home in Cookeville is in charge of arrangements, (931) 526-7158. Please sign the guest book to share your thoughts with the family.