BLENHEIM — Services for Mr. James Philip Thomas, Sr., 75, will be held at 11 AM Friday at Salem Baptist Church. Burial, with Masonic Rites, will be in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to Salem Baptist Church, 1618 Salem Road, Bennettsville, SC 29512 or the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605. Visitation is at the home of Philip Thomas, Jr., 1981 Salem Road. Whitner-Evans Funeral Home is in charge. Mr. Thomas died Tuesday. Born in Marion County, he was a son of the late Prentiss Napier and Rachel Gray Thomas. He was a graduate of Lower Marlboro High School and the SC Criminal Justice Academy. He retired in 1995 from the SC Transport Police. He was a member of Salem Baptist Church and was Mayor of the Town of Blenheim since 1994. He was a former member of Blenheim Town Council from 1989-1994. He was a member and Past Master of Marlboro Masonic Lodge #88 A.F.M. He was a member of the York Rite and Scottish Rite of Omar Shrine Temple. He was a member and past president of the Marlboro Shrine Club. He was a member and past president of the Riverdale Goodwill Club. A charter member of the Blenheim Fire Dept., he served as Fire Chief for 12 years. He was an honorary member of the Marlboro Rescue Squad, and an active member for 27 years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Marlboro Water Co. since 1984 and was a member of the Marlboro County Development Board and the Marlboro County Chamber of Commerce. Surviving are: his wife of 55 years, Mrs. Sara Hill Thomas, of Blenheim, a son, James Philip Thomas, Jr., (Amy), of Bennettsville, a daughter, Cathy Thomas Edwards, (Don), of Conway, a brother, Leroy Thomas, of Myrtle Beach, a sister, Mrs. Dorothy T. Black, of Blenheim, grandchildren, Gene Edwards, (Abby), Ann Edwards, Jake Thomas and Maggie Thomas, and a great-grandchild, Trevor Edwards. He was predeceased by a brother, Prentiss N. Thomas, Jr. **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)