Amenzerolee Pennye Thomas

Mrs. Amenzerolee "Pennye" Hill Thomas For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. ~Philippians 1:21-23 Amenzerolee Hill Thomas was born to Eschol and Onie Strong Hill in MacArthur Community, Wheeler County, Georgia, on October 31, 1929. The third eldest child of nine, she was reared in a Christian home where she learned loyalty, hard work, and persistence. At an early age, her family moved to Hazlehurst, Georgia where she attended the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized by Dr. J. M. Benton. In the Hill household, education and learning was of major importance. Affectionately called Pennye, she started her formal education at what later became Hazlehurst High and Elementary School. Following in her older sister's footsteps, she attended and graduated from Holsey Institute in Cordele, Georgia. Pennye furthered her education at Savannah State College, in Savannah, Georgia. She decided to emulate her mother and join the teaching ranks. She was united in holy matrimony to Ivy Jimmie Thomas, and together they raised two sons, Gregory and Wilson. She supported her husband in his military career and became the epitome of a military wife. She made sure his uniforms and boots were always ready for inspection, and he was always welcomed home with a tasty hot meal. They lived in Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Georgia while he fulfilled his military obligations. Pennye was an intuitive, inspired cook who often prepared the most delicious meals. She was known for her bread pudding, five-flavor pound cake, buttery vanilla cupcakes and other scrumptious morsels. When she cooked, she cooked enough food for several households, and was always willing to share generously with others. An avid gardener, she possessed the greenest of "green thumbs." She could take a plant that others thought was dead, and she could bring it back to life. She grew lemons, oranges, pineapples, pears, pecans, and a wide variety of herbs and flowers. She was an excellent seamstress who could sew dresses for an entire wedding party. Her sisters and nieces were frequently the recipients of her superb sewing abilities. At heart, Pennye was a true philanthropist. Her generous giving to others was unmatched. When she visited, her family and friends knew that when she opened her car trunk, it would be like opening Aladdin's treasure chest. She always had something for everyone. She took time to remember birthdays and could be counted on to bring a special treat that no one else even thought of. She loved her sons as a mama bear loves her precious cubs. She was devoted to their interests and supported them as they earned college degrees and later began their professional careers. Although she didn't initiate the concept, Pennye was a bona fide personal shopper. She knew every store and could tell you where to find almost any product. She delighted in searching for the perfect gift in stores well off the beaten track. She taught for many years at Copeland Elementary School in Augusta, Georgia, and retired with over 30 years of classroom experience. After her retirement, she, along with her siblings, devoted herself to the care of her mother. Later, she cared for her mother-in-law, Madie Thomas. That care was well returned when she became ill as her sons, nieces, and siblings ensured her well-being. On August 16, 2021, she cast aside these earthly robes and took on her heavenly robes in Glory. She was preceded in death by her parents, Eschol and Onie Strong Hill; her husband, Ivy Jimmie Thomas; two brothers: Lafayette Hill and James Eschol Hill; two sisters Wilhelmina Hill Parrish and Mildred Hill Wilcox; and her parents-in-law: Leo and Madie Thomas. She leaves to cherish many precious memories, her loving sons: Gregory Dewitt Thomas of Lawrenceville, GA and Wilson Bernard Thomas of Apopka, FL; one sister, Carolyn Hill Mitchell of Hazlehurst, GA; three brothers: John Edward (Mary) Hill of Atlanta, GA, Robert E. Hill (Phyllis) of Hazlehurst, GA, and Glenwood F. (Betty) Hill of Fort Valley, GA; one sister-in-law, Helen W. Hill of Hazlehurst, GA; one brother-in-law, Charles Wilcox of Hazlehurst, GA; special friends: Dorothy Harleston and Geraldine Crawley, both of Hazlehurst, GA, Harry and Leona Scott, and Joanne Berry Gaffney; a godson, Kameron Dixon; devoted caregivers: Gwen Jackson, Karen McRae, Denise Wooten, Ann Wilcox, Rosa Roberson, Glenda Howard, Gloria Harris, Lee Ann Russell, Eloise and Reuben Kirby, and Amedisy Home Health Care; and a host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.