Funeral services for Betty Jo Thomas, 90, will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 21, 2018 in the chapel of Hughes & Wright Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Sunnyside Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

Betty died at Cordele Health and Rehab Friday afternoon, March 16, 2018. She was born in Alma, Ga. to Carl Chester Starky and Gladys Moody Starky. She is preceded in death by her husband, James Nelson Thomas, her daughter, Deborah Ann Wiggins, and her brother, William L. Bryan.

She was a homemaker and retired elementary school reading teacher with the Crisp County Board of Education. She was also active in the OPEL Club, 39’ers and served as a “Pink Lady” with the Crisp Regional Hospital Auxiliary. She was also a member of the Cordele First United Methodist Church.

She is survived by her sons: James Maxwell (Agnes) Davis of Warwick, Joseph Nelson (Kathy) Thomas of Fort Valley, Michael Lee (Sherry) Thomas of Douglas and James Jason Thomas of Dawsonville; her daughters: Carlotta Carr of Dunedin, Fla., Susan Melinda (Paul) McWilliams of Villa Rica, Ga. and MarLetha Danielle Thomas of Cordele; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.