Pastor Geno Thomas

The Legacy of Pastor Geno Thomas Pastor Geno Thomas,the son of the late Harvey Thomas and Claudine Bullock Thomas was born April 11,1937 in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. Pastor Thomas was educated in the Philadelphia Public School System where he attended Simon J. Gratz High School. Pastor Thomas served in the United States Marine Corps for 4 years traveling on ships to places he had only heard of. While in the Marines,be became a meteorologist and could often tell you the names of the different clouds and determine if and when it was going to rain. He was hororably discharged in 1957 and returned to Philadelphia,his hometown. After returning to Philadelphia ,he held positions as a factory worker,and a construction worker as well as having his own sheetrock crew. In addition to factory work,he also began to make wall bookshelves,stands and tables. He was very meticulous in his work and would sell them under the name of "Geno Originals." No two items would be the same,and his creative work was blessed by God and people sought him out to make their unique furnishings. He was introduced to a High School student who later became his wife,the former Joan Chavious. His work history continued with the Philadelphia Water Department as a meter reader and later he went to work for the United States Post Office as a mail carrier. Pastor Thomas rose in the ranks of the Postal Service as a Postmaster in the Lowe Bucks County Pennsylvania area. Pastor Geno Thomas and his family became members of the Church of God in Christ,1st Jurisdiction of New Jersery,under the leadership of the late Bishop Esau Courtney.Pastor Thomas held many positions within the church and was an asset to his Pastor spiritually as well as naturally with his contruction skills. The Lord called him to the Ministry and as a Minister he worked faithfully in the Sunday School Department. In the early 1990's he and his wife moved to Richmond,Virginia where they bcame members of Community Church of God In Christ. In 1994,the Lord called him to Pastorship and he established the Reconciliation of Church of God in Christ. As a Pastor he poured all his spiritual and natural skills into building the membership,and teaching them all he had learned down through the years. He was a generous man and helped his members whenever and however he could. His scholarship fund and generosity has helped a number of the young people to attend college. During the month of December he entered the hospital to undergo surgery and was on the road of recovery when the Lord called him home for his eternal rest. He fought a good fight ,and remained committed to the work of the Lord and his parishioners to the end. He leaves to cherish his precious memory;his wife,Mother Joan Thomas,three children;Geno L. Thomas,Jamiel N. Thomas and David A. Thomas;four grandchildren and one great grandchild all of Philadelphia,PA;six brothers;Charles E. Thomas of New Jersey and Jack Spicer of South Carolina;Paul Terry,Harvey Thomas,Ralph Thomas and Lynn Thomas,preceded him in death ;one sister:Evangeline Spicer preceded him in death;two sisters-in-law;Mrs. Dorothy Thomas and Mrs. Ann Terry, and a host of nieces,nephews,cousins,other family and friends,as well as a devoted Church family consisting of many spiritual sons and daughters.

Tributes

Pastor Geno Thomas

April 11, 1937 - December 24, 2011