Ethel Ivey Parks Thomas, 94, of Chadbourn, went home to be with her Lord on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Liberty Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
A native of Goldsboro, Ethel was born on October 14, 1931, daughter of the late John Gordon Parks and Ethel Lillian Ivey Parks. She was the widow of John Homer Thomas, who preceded her in 1979, and was also preceded by her sisters, Jane Parks Seddon, and Mary Parks Macy.
Funeral service will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, July 6, 2026, at Chadbourn United Methodist Church, with Dr. Mark Hicks officiating. Burial will follow in the Whiteville Memorial Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 2:00-2:45 p.m. prior to the service on Monday, at the church.
Ethel was a graduate of East Carolina University, earning a Master of Education Degree in 1956. Upon college graduation, Ethel began a 30-year teaching career, teaching in Leland, Dublin, and Stovall, before retiring from the Columbus County Public School System.
Ethel was a faithful member of the Chadbourn United Methodist Church, where she served in various roles over the years, including Sunday school teacher, and choir member. She was also active in many other civic organizations in Chadbourn and a dedicated volunteer to many non-profit organizations.
The surviving family includes her children, John Parks Thomas and wife, Kathy, of Elizabethtown, Julius Elbert “Bert” Thomas, II of Chadbourn; grandchild, John Hobson Thomas and wife, Sarah; two great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Chadbourn UMC or to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.
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