Guilford, Maine - Gerald "Jerry" Clyde Thomas finally succumbed to his failing heart health and passed away peacefully surrounded by family June 29, 2026. Jerry was born March 22, 1943, in Dover-Foxcroft, the eldest son of Clyde Anson Thomas and Carolyn Pray Thomas.

Jerry attended schools in Guilford and enlisted in the United States Army in 1964. He served from 1964 to 1967. During his time in the Army, he spent time in Kentucky, California, and Korea. Among his many accomplishments, he received the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Expert Rifle Badge. Jerry loved the outdoors, especially hunting at his special spot, his camp in Shirley Mills, and while on more adventurous trips to Upper Canada to go caribou hunting or out west to Idaho to go elk hunting. Other joys of his were spending time with family and friends, loving on his many pet dogs, including Bear, Caesar, Gronk and Brady, perusing bargains whether at Marden's discount or local yard and estate sales, watching his local and national NASCAR style races, or simply scratching daily lottery tickets and reading weekly Uncle Henry's. Jerry worked in his family business of logging early on in his career, later brokering wood through to several statewide and Canadian lumberyards and paper mills. Jerry's love of 18-wheeler trucks led him later to create and run a successful trucking and transportation business, Gerald C. Thomas, Inc., which provided support to Puritan Medical among many other clients up and down the East Coast.

Jerry is survived by his beloved wife, Carol (Rowe) Thomas; his children, Scott Thomas and his wife, Laurie, and Michael Thomas and his partner, Michael Milano; three grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, Richard and Russell; and an infant daughter, Tammy Lynn. Carol would like to thank the many family members and friends for their love and support through the years. Special thanks to the many staff at Northern Light Mayo Hospital, Dover, and NLEMMC, Bangor, for their exhaustive support and care.

Graveside services with military honors will be held 10 a.m. Friday, July 10, 2026, at Lawn Cemetery, Guilford, with a celebration of life ceremony to be held following the service at the park on the river at Maine Coffee & Mercantile, 4 N. Main St., Guilford, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Guilford Fire Department, P.O. Box 420, Guilford, ME 04443. Arrangements are in the care of Lary Funeral Home. Messages of condolence and memories may be expressed at laryfuneralhome.com.