Services for George Melville “Buddy” Thomas Jr. of Brookhavenare 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Laird Funeral Home South Chapelin Natchez with burial in Damascus Baptist Church Cemetery nearLucien. Services will be conducted by the Rev. WinstonWinstead.

Visitation is Friday from 5-8 p.m., at the funeral home.

Mr. Thomas, 59, died Feb. 26, 2004, at King’s Daughters MedicalCenter. He was born in Natchez on April 12, 1944, to GeorgeMelville Thomas Sr. and Mary Alice Druetta Thomas.

He was retired from International Paper Company after 38 yearsservice. He was employed with Wolf Hollow golf course atCopiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson. He was a Navy veteran.He was a graduate of Natchez High School and attended University ofMississippi.

Survivors are his mother, Mary Alice Thomas of Natchez; hiswife, Billie Jean McKamie Thomas of Brookhaven; his daughter andson-in-law, Laura and Greg Pickering of Wilmington, N.C.; his sonand daughter-in-law, Bill and Candi Thomas of Natchez; his sister,Kit Hightower of Natchez; his granddaughters, Morgan Thomas,Mackenzie Thomas and Kaycee Pickering; his nieces, Lisa Byrnes andhusband Harry of Destin, Fla., and Cheri Walden of Natchez; and hisnephews, Chris Walden and Bryan Walden, both of Natchez, and ShawnByrnes and William Byrns, both of Destin, Fla.

Pallbearers will be Gery Cupit, Edward Lee Murray, Carl Bateman,Warren King, Joe Stedman, Richard Brock and Jack Smith. Honorarypallbearers will be J.E. Pickering, Mike Graves, Danny Weeks,Shorty Rushing, Steve Bass, Walter Dawkins, Toxie Burnette, ScottGoodman and Danny Jackson.