Alfred Victor "Vic" Thomas (1929–2006) was a Virginia businessman (owner of E. J. Thomas Market) and politician. As a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, he represented parts of

Roanoke Roanoke may refer to: Places *Roanoke Colony, a former English colony that mysteriously disappeared *Roanoke Island, the location of the Roanoke colony in present-day North Carolina *Roanoke River, flowing through Virginia and North Carolina and ...

and

Roanoke County, Virginia Roanoke County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, its population was 96,929. Its county seat is Salem, but the county administrative offices are located in the census-designated place of ...

in the

Virginia House of Delegates The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two houses of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbe ...

from 1974 until 2004.

Early and family life

Thomas was born in Roanoke as the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

began. He attended the local public schools, including Jefferson High School. He then attended Virginia Southern College in Buena Vista, and later the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

Charlotteville Charlotteville is a village lying on the northeastern tip of Tobago on Man-o-War Bay. History The first European settlement on Man-o-War Bay was part of the colony of Nieuw Walcheren established by Jan de Moor, the burgomaster of Vlissingen ...

. Thomas served in the U.S. military in the

Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone (), also known as just the Canal Zone, was a International zone#Concessions, concession of the United States located in the Isthmus of Panama that existed from 1903 to 1979. It consisted of the Panama Canal and an area gene ...

. He married Dorothy Marie Lucas and had children Alfred V. Thomas Jr., Genevieve C. Thomas, William E. Thomas and Thomas P. Thomas. He was active in his Catholic church and

Knights of Pythias The Knights of Pythias is a Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an Act of Co ...

Career

Thomas owned E.J. Thomas Market. He was also active in the local

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...

, Civitan,

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

, Dokkies and

Woodmen of the World WoodmenLife (officially Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society) is a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society founded in 1890, based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members. ...

Thomas succeeded John C. Towler and initially served alongside fellow Democrats Ray L. Garland of Roanoke and

Richard Cranwell Charles Richard "Dick" Cranwell (born July 26, 1942) is an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates 1972–2001, and was its Democratic floor leader 1991–2001. From 2005 to 20 ...

Salem, Virginia Salem is an independent city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,346. It is the county seat of Roanoke County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combine ...

(who would become majority leader). Beginning in 1979 Thomas ran on a Democratic ticket with

Chip Woodrum Clifton Alexander "Chip" Woodrum III (July 23, 1938 – February 19, 2013) was a Virginia lawyer and politician. Early and family life Born in Washington, D.C. to Clifton A. Woodrum Jr. and his wife the former Margaret Troy Lanier, Woodrum ...

in Roanoke. They handily defeated Republicans Elizabeth T. Bowles and Mary Brooks that year, and soundly defeated Independent Zaman K. McManaway in 1981. His district, which comprised parts of the City of Roanoke as well as the County of Roanoke, was initially numbered the 7th Virginia district (1975–1980), but briefly became the 6th district in 1981 (comprising only the City of Roanoke). Further redistricting required by a judicial decision mandating single-member districts again combined parts of the city and county, and renumbered it as the 17th district. Thomas often faced no opponent when re-elected, but again in 1991 soundly defeated Independent Zaman K. McManaway and Republican Jeffrey L. Artis in 1995. After the Republican party took control of the House of Delegates in 2000 and approved a partisan redistricting, Thomas won his seat once more. He declined to seek re-election in 2003, and Republican W. H. Fralin Jr. handily defeated both Democrat L.F. Wyatt and Independent G.M. Bowman, and so succeeded him as that Roanoke district's delegate.

Death and legacy

Thomas died in 2006. An environmental award carries his name.

References

1929 births 2006 deaths Democratic Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates Politicians from Roanoke, Virginia University of Virginia alumni 20th-century members of the Virginia General Assembly 21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly {{Virginia-delegate-stub