Alumna of the Year
Carolyn Burrell Thomas
Holmes Community College will honor Carolyn Burrell Thomas of Goodman as the 2024 Alumna of the Year which is among one of the college’s highest alumni honors. Thomas has served on the Holmes Board of Trustees and Development Foundation.
Thomas was a high school graduate of Holmes Agricultural School and continued on to complete her AAS in general business in 1953.
After Holmes, her first job was working part time at Holmes County Bank. Her first full-time job was for a cotton buyer.
Thomas found her fit with the United States Postal Service. She served for 30 years, 14 of those years she served as postmaster in Goodman.
Since Thomas had three boys (George, Ronnie and Rickie), she started the Cub Scout group in Goodman and served as Den Mother for many years. She also visited most of the schools in Holmes County encouraging children to collect stamps, a Merit Badge requirement for the Boy Scouts. Stamp collecting is a popular hobby, enjoyed by millions throughout the world. Through this hobby the Boy Scouts experience history. Postage stamps are tiny windows that introduce the people of the world to a country’s leaders, customs, history, products and environment.
Among other civic activities, Thomas taught the Kindergarten Sunday school class at the Methodist Church in Goodman for 27 years, also serving as Chairman of the Board for the church. She was the Holmes County Cancer Crusade Chairman for many years and her dedication to volunteer work placed her on the State Board for that organization.
Thomas has been a lifelong resident of Goodman. She is preceded in death by her husband George Allen Thomas, Sr. and her son Ronald (Ronnie) Thomas. Her two living sons George and Rickie remain close to their mother. She is also surrounded by five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Thomas’ hobbies include looking through old letters, receipts, deeds and pictures acquired through the years. Some date back to the 1800s. She has filled four albums for preservation for her family to treasure.
