THOMAS, James Ray
Source: The Indianapolis News, Friday, March 25, 1949
Funeral services for James Ray Thomas, 70, 5130 N. Delaware St., retired Indianapolis manufacturer who died yesterday in Methodist Hospital, will be held tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. in Flanner & Buchanan Mortuary. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Crawfordsville. Dr. George A. Frantz, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate. Mr. Thomas retired in 1948 as president of the Thomas & Skinner Steel Products Co. Born at Rossville, Mr. Thomas attended grade school in Raton, N. Mex., and was a pupil in high school three years. In 1896, he entered the preparatory department of Wabash College, from which he received a B.S. degree in 1901. In 1906 he received a B.S. degree in electrical engineering at Purdue University. Prior to entering his senior year at Purdue, Mr. Thomas was employed for two years as manager of the Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power Co. continuing with the company after his graduation until 1913. He was in charge of the designing and construction of the Standard Brick Co., Crawfordsville, after which he was employed as a construction engineer by Easterline & Angus Engineering Co., Indianapolis. After he purchased the magnet factory of the latter company, he operated it as the Thomas Steel Co. Later, Ormel H. Skinner purchased a half interest in the business, which since has been known as the Thomas & Skinner Steel Products Co. A Republican, Mr. Thomas was a member of Montgomery Masonic Lodge, Crawfordsville; Scottish Rite, Shrine, Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Columbia Club, Scientech Club, the Indianapolis Chapter of the Citizens Historical Association and the First Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity and a founder of the Purdue Chapter of the fraternity, and at one time served as president of the alumni chapter. Survivors are the widow, Mrs. May Kenyon Thomas; a daughter, Mrs. Bruce Savage, wife of the Indianapolis real estate dealer; a sister, Mrs. Sidney Clark, Denver, and two grandchildren. Thanks muches to Kim H