Billy French Thomas, 82, of Smyrna, Tennessee passed into our Heavenly Father's hands on October 1, 2015. He was born on February 14, 1933, in Monteagle, Tennessee to Helen French Thomas and Charles Henry Thomas. Billy attended Grundy County High School and then served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea. After returning from Korea, he and his wife Ann moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he went to work for Standard Oil and started to play fastpitch softball. He became quite an accomplished pitcher and moved to Ashland, Ohio, to go to work at Faultless Rubber and to pitch for the nationally known Faultless Rubbermen. His pitching career culminated with his election to the Ohio Fastpitch Softball Hall of Fame. He also was very active in the Amateur Softball Association and served as the Ohio State Umpire in Chief as well as training many new umpires across the United States and overseas. He continued to work at Faultless until he retired and moved back to Smyrna, Tennessee to be close to his sister and mother and enjoy his other pastime, fishing. He is survived by his wife, Ann Glover Thomas of 60 years, his sons, Jim and his wife Mindy, Tim, and Bill Thomas, his grandchildren, Justin, Lauren Hebda and her husband Jim, Scott, Nick and Natalie Thomas, and his great grandchildren Lucy and Thomas Hebda. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his sister Sallye Thomas Bohanan. A memorial service will be held Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Woodfin Chapel in Smyrna. Brother Dan Parker will officiate. Visitation will be from 2:30 p.m. until the service time Saturday at the chapel. In lieu of flowers memorials in memory of Mr. Thomas can be made to Parkway Baptist Church in Smyrna, TN.