Bill Mitchell Thomas

Mr. Bill Mitchell Thomas, age 86, of Hacienda Heights, CA, passed away on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at Whittier Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles County, California, after a sudden illness. Funeral services are planned for 12:00 PM on Saturday, January 8, at Plains Baptist Church, with Rev. Buck Kinney officiating. The family will receive friends beginning at 11:00 AM on Saturday at Plains Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Lebanon Cemetery. He was born in Plains, Georgia on April 5th 1935 to the late William L. Thomas, Sr. and Allie Maude Murray Thomas. Mr. Thomas moved from Plains to Atlanta at age 8 and joined the United States Navy in 1952, at the age of 17. After leaving the Navy he enrolled at Georgia Tech and then transferred to Santa Monica City College in California. His education culminated with his MBA from UCLA in 1963. Starting his business career as an accountant with Haskins & Sells accounting firm, he worked his way up the corporate ladder; holding several Executive Officer positions and concluding as a member of the Board of Directors with West Coast Liquidators (Pic‘N’Save) before semi-retiring in the early 1990s. After his retirement from the corporate world, at the urging of several close friends, Mr. Thomas began his many accomplishments in the Thoroughbred racing & breeding industry. He owned several stakes winners and his BMT Ranch; bred, trained & rehabilitated horses for many leading owners and trainers in the Western United States. One of his favorite horses, Real Connection (“Connie”), attained an international fan club. He fully retired in 2013. Bill was an avid reader and golfer, but his true talent was the gift of story telling, which he loved to engage in at every opportunity. Bill’s wishes to be returned home to rest next to his Mother and siblings align with his love of attending the annual Thomas & Murray family reunions, which he looked forward to every year. Mr. Thomas is survived by; a son, Bill M. Thomas, Jr. of San Jose California; a daughter, Elaine C. Thomas of Los Angeles California; his long time companion and friend Dolores Hudson of Los Angeles California; a brother, William L. Thomas Jr. (“Bill/Tommy”) of Petal Mississippi; as well as numerous other relatives and friends. To sign our online guestbook and express your condolences to the family, please visit www.hancockfuneralhomeinc.com Hancock Funeral Home, 427 S. Lee St., is honored the be entrusted with these arrangements for Mr. Bill Mitchell Thomas.