James D. Thomas, 66, of Sherwood, formerly of Warrenton, died Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in Sherwood.
He was born Feb. 7, 1945, in San Francisco, to Charles Robert Thomas and Janice (Cherry) Harrod. His mother survives, residing in King City.
He was raised in Pasadena, Calif., where he attended grade school and junior high school. He attended high school in Warrenton.
From 1962 to 1966, during the Vietnam War, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a sergeant.
On April 16, 1967, he married Michele Thomas at the Presbyterian Church in Clatsop Plains. She survives, residing in Sherwood.
Mr. Thomas worked in the wood products industry from 1967 to 2006, when he retired. He lived in Warrenton for 30 years.
He was a member of the American Legion.
Family members said his nicknames were Sarge, Big Jim and Papa. His hobbies included wood carving, music, drawing, reading and photography. He enjoyed spending time with his family and sharing his faith.

In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by three sons, Chuck Thomas of Portland, Dennis Thomas and his wife, Tiffany, of Warrenton and James Thomas Jr. and his wife, Holly, of Ladera Ranch, Calif.; two daughters, Vanessa Martin and her husband, Aaron, of Yamhill and  Valerie Thomas of Newberg; three brothers, Jeff Harrod and his wife, Lori, of Portland, Greg Harrod and his wife, Teri, of Lake Oswego and Ron Harrod of Astoria; a sister-in-law, Juanita Smith and her husband, Al, of Dallas, Ore.; three brothers-in-law, Chuck Kobrzycki of Warrenton, Phil Kobrzycki and his wife, Sue, of Medford and Richard Garcia and his wife, Andi, of Warrenton; four sisters-in-law, Paula deAnda of Central, Utah, Linda Wood and her companion, Darius Mau, of Honolulu, Maria Brim of Astoria and Vienna Garcia of Warrenton; 17 grandchildren, Brooklyn, Chandler, Savannah and Sophia Thomas, Chance Riekkola, Lillian, Roger, Madelyn and Toriah Thomas, Brienna and Ella Salvatori, Tanner, Austin and Chase Martin, Natalie and Ashton Bushnell and Brayden Thomas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Dennis Garcia; and three sisters-in-law, Diane Pineda, Sharon Garcia and Char Lahaie.