THOMAS, Samuel Earl, Jr.

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona - 02/10/2004 Samuel Earl Thomas, Jr., 50, "Duke of Earl" died Jan. 28, 2004. Samuel, son of Samuel Earl Thomas, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Aken of Houston, Texas was born July 26, 1953. Earl served as a Navy Corpsman during the Vietnam War, in Norfolk, Virginia. Earl managed a very successful band called "The Juveniles" in the Grand Cayman Island. He also worked as First-Mate on a Liver board Dive Ship in the Grand Cayman Islands for his uncle Thomas Hejacate. Earl and his wife were married Sept. 18, 1993 in Houston, Texas and later moved to Lakeside Oct. 1999. He worked at Torreon Golf Maintenance as Lead Operator/Grounds Keeper for five years. He loved his wife, work, many friends, music, wood crafting, his beloved animals, and he was very proud of his Cherokee ancestry. Earl was preceded in death by his parents Samuel Earl Thomas, Sr., Mary Elizabeth Aken, and uncle Thomas Hejacate. May God bless Earl and may he also give his family strength to continue on in his absence. He will be deeply missed.