Ray Lucius Thigpen

Ray Lucius Thigpen

Avera, GA  –               Ray “Lucius” Thigpen, 88, loving husband of 35 years to the Javonne Elaine Pittman Thigpen, entered into his eternal rest Saturday morning, April 27, 2019, at his residence. Funeral services to celebrate his life will be held at 3:00 P.M., Thursday afternoon, May 2, 2019 at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with the Reverends Frank Thigpen and John Beck officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in the church cemetery.

The eldest of five children born to the late Omie Godowns Thigpen and the late Oakley Thigpen, Lucius grew up in the Avera area. After graduating from Avera High School, he joined the Army, spending four years patrolling the border between East and West Germany during the Korean war. He was a proud patriot and served his country honorably. Lucius worked in security at the Savannah River Plant before working as an electrician in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Moving back to Avera, he then worked at Deerfield Paper Company in Augusta, retiring after 16 years of service. During this time, he also operated a farm and raised cows in Jefferson County. In his spare time, he enjoyed hunting deer and turkey, bird shoots and fishing.  The most important event in Lucius’ life was his acceptance of Christ and his being baptized at First Baptist Church in Boynton Beach, FL. He served his Lord at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church until his health decline. Lucius and Javonne taught their boys about Jesus and the importance of His saving grace through salvation. He was a prime example of unwavering, unconditional love, a hard work ethic—he never had idle hands—and servitude to His Savior and fellow man.  Being “old school”, his word was his bond—if he said he would do something, he did it.  He said what he meant and meant what he said. A quiet, unassuming man, Lucius led a simple life where he loved and enjoyed the love of his family and friends, found contentment in the hard work of farming the land and working with livestock, and found pleasure in the great outdoors. A devoted husband and father, a loyal friend, Lucius was a man whose actions spoke louder than words. This man of God will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Lucius was also preceded in death by his brother, Frank Thigpen. Those left to cherish his memory include his two sons, Tim Thigpen (Kathy) or Portland OR, and Mark Thigpen (Lisa); three sisters, Naomi Thigpen, Joanne Wernecke (Frank) and Grace Walker; three grandchildren, Ben Thigpen, Allison Thigpen and Mason Thigpen; nieces, nephews, church family and friends. Serving as pallbearers will be Louie Chalker, Nathaniel Newsome, James Thigpen, Rodney Thigpen, Gosie Walden and Bobby Williams.

The family will receive friends at James Funeral Home from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. Wednesday evening, May 1, 2019.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial contributions be made to the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Bobbie Williams, P.O. Box 55, Avera GA 30803.

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Psalms 23 (NKJV)