Patsy Hill Thomas, Ed. D., died suddenly and unexpectedly at sea, surrounded by some of her closest family and friends. Dr. Thomas was the long-term Executive Director of the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia, overseeing behavioral health services for a ten-county service area that includes Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski, Telfair, Treutlen, Wheeler, and Wilcox Counties. Her leadership, friendship, and mentoring will be sorely missed. Funeral services for Dr. Thomas will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at Jefferson Street Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Rock Springs Baptist Church. Rev. Randall Gibbs, Rev. Wayne Durden, and Rev. Jason Patterson will officiate. The family will receive friends Monday, from 5:00PM until 7:00PM at Townsend Brothers Funeral Home. After graduation from Dublin High School in 1961, Patsy began her long career with the State of Georgia as a secretary at the Laurens County Health Department while going to school part-time at Middle GA College, Georgia College and eventually to the University of Georgia in Athens where she earned her Doctorate in Education. In 1976 she was hired as the Administrative Services Manager at the Community Mental Health Center of Middle Georgia where she was eventually promoted to the position of Executive Director where she remained until her death. Dr. Thomas served on various boards, committees and community projects during her career, but the main focus was always the Community Mental Health Center. She was one of the founding members of the Drug and Alcohol Prevention Advocates, and of the Suicide Prevention Coalition. She was actively involved in the Association of Retarded Citizens, and the GA Association of Community Service Boards to name a few. Most recently Patsy received the St. Patrick's 2011 Woman of the Year award for Dublin/Laurens County. She was a member of Pinehurst Baptist Church where she served as Treasurer for many years. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Dovie Harden Hill and Hilton J. Hill, and husband, Jack M. Thomas. She is survived by her brother, Joe Hill, cousins, Marcia Daniel, Guynell Clark, and Linda Green; step-sons, Marty Thomas, Greg Thomas, and Mark Thomas; grandchildren, Jessie Thomas, Greg Thomas, Jr. and Jerry Thomas; special friend, Kay Avery, all of Dublin, and many consumers and employees who have benefited from her wisdom and leadership over her 48-year career. David Harden, Hank Harden, Jamey Daniel, Jeff Daniel, Bruce Daniel, Jake Branch, Josh Branch, Jim Daniel will serve at pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Keith Moran, J. Roy Rowland, M.D., Thomas Rumble, M.D., Norman Loving, Willie Carr, Lawson Geiger, Tommy Daniel, Karen Core, Gilbert Haskins, Louis Jacobs, M.D., Jim Kibler, M.D., Robert Drew, Denise Forbes, Joe Ricci, Bobby Robbins, Derril Gay, Leon Green, Judge William Tribble, DuBose Porter, Bill Harrell, T. E. Dunmon, Roger Mathes, David Green, Foy Clark, Dr. J. W. Zetterower, Dernard King, Eric Jones, and Margaret New. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pinehurst Baptist Church Building Fund or Center for Developmental Disabled Citizens of Laurens County.