Elijah Halsey Thomas

Elijah Halsey Thomas passed away peacefully July 8th, 2020.He was born in 1928 in Lake City, S.C. son of the late Cora Eugenia Cook and Ira Tillman Thomas. He is preceded in death by his wife Audrine Baxley in 2014 who he greatly missed. They were both members of Calvary Baptist Church in Florence.He lived an exemplary Christian life setting a great example for his family. After Elijah’s father passed away, he was sent to Epworth Children’s Home in Columbia, S.C. It was a working farm at that time.He worked in the printing press and then on the dairy farm. He left Epworth and went to Jacksonville, Florida.There he worked at Times Union Newspaper while going to barber school which he finished in 1946. His first job as a barber was in Pamplico, S.C. where he met his beautiful bride Audrine.They both moved to Charleston.Dad cut hair at the Citadel and Joe’s barber shop at the Navy Yard. On June 13th, 1948, Elijah and Audrine were married and on June 29th, 1951 Elijah began working for the railroad.In 1956, he was promoted to engineer. Elijah and family moved to Florence and bought a home in the country facing Black Creek.He loved working in the yard and growing a big vegetable garden.He loved to run and swim for exercise.Elijah participated in the Senior National Olympics and won many medals for his swimming.In 1962, Elijah became a lifetime member of the Master Mason Amity Lodge #340, Florence, S.C. After his retirement from CSX in 1986, Elijah worked for Amtrak until 1991.Elijah then began a new hobby making pottery.He had his studio at the Farmer’s market in the Red Barn.His work was featured in the Morning News several times as well as Southern Living magazine. Elijah enjoyed his life.He loved working on the railroad.He always had a positive attitude and was very grateful for all his blessings.He would do anything for his family.He would always say, “Call me if you need anything.”Every night before going to bed he would say, “Don’t forget one thing!I love you.” Elijah was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Surviving are his son Gene Thomas (Pauline) and his daughter Phyllis Lee (Robert); his grandchildren Fernando Peña (Christina), Vanessa Brown (Michael), Kevin Peña (Angelica), Christina Wilhoit and Scott Thomas; and his great grandchildren Matthan Brown, MichaelAnne Brown, Anders Brown, Baxley Kate Brown, Tillman Peña, Tristan Peña, and Inez Peña. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Calvary Baptist Church Home Care Team. 915 Cherokee Road, Florence, SC 29501. Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, July 10, 2020, at Mount Hope Cemetery directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home. Due to the current COVID-19 concerns social distancing will be observed.The service will be live-streamed by Mount Hope Cemetery on their Facebook page. Please sign the tribute wall for the family at www.stoudenmiredowling.com.