William “Bill” Gilmore Thomas
Atlanta Native, Singer, Community Activist Remembered
December 20, 1947 – May 10, 2025
The chapel of Willie Watkins mortuary domiciled in Atlanta’s west-end community was filled to near capacity May 23 with high school classmates, musicians , recording artists and a plethora of friends to bid a fond and emotion -filled farewell to native son William Gilmore Thomas.
Those who knew him well – including Harold “Hal” Lamar, the writer of this article – would hardly be surprised to believe that the one-time resident of the former Perry Homes public housing community of Northwest Atlanta was not only an accomplished self-taught musician or athlete in football via CL Harper High school but also participated, counseled and coached youth basketball, tennis and golf and “stay prepared” as scout leader for Troop 3411 of DeKalb county’s Kelly Chapel United Methodist church which he also joined and became one of its choir members. “He hardly missed a rehearsal,” one member told congregants. “When he came walking through the doors of the church, we all knew it was time to get busy.”
But of all his talents and interests, his greatest devotion was to singing. After an association with local groups, he settled in for a dozen years or so with some native Atlanta yokels called the Naturals. in 1971 , Thomas, Johnny Simon (a close friend who followed Thomas into the US Marines in 1966), and Harper grads “Fat” Michael Williams and Robert “Fitz” Fitzpatrick , the fledgling group signed with Quadran Records, a local label.
“I remember the Naturals walking into our office and auditioning,” said Atlanta native Jacques Taylor, one of Quadran’s four owners. “Gilmore was like a spokesperson for the group. I remember being proud and impressed to have him and the Naturals with us.”
“My Dad cherished us,“ said daughter Laquinda Thomas, who delivered a short but to-the-point eulogy on behalf of the family of five, “He respected all of us and listened to what we said to him even though he sometimes disagreed with us,” he quipped. “But he loved all five of us kids and his grands and great-grands.”
Poetry from granddaughter Karshana Clarke, a soul-rendering saxophone solo from Dante Hawthorne and a flag-folding ceremony by a special US Marine Corps detail helped round out the 90-minute service officiated by Pastor Aleta Robinson.
The service wrapped up with AFD’s “final alarm” ceremony bestowed in tribute to fallen firefighters. Thomas worked for AFD nine years.
Thomas was interred on May 27, 2025 at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.
Last updated on May 30, 2025
