Thomas Bury

Thomas J. Bury Jr., 86, passed away peacefully on January 1, 2011. He was born May 17, 1924 to the late Thomas John Sr., and Ada Cox Bury. A native of the Bermuda District area of Chesterfield County, he graduated from Chester High School nee Thomas Dale High School in 1941. During World War II, he served his country in an administrative capacity at Camp Lee nee Fort Lee and in the Aleutian Islands off the Coast of Alaska. He earned a Bachelor of Commercial Science degree from Benjamin Franklin University nee George Washington University School of Accounting in Washington, D.C. He served on the Administrative Board of Wesley United Methodist Church in Colonial Heights and as treasurer, choir member and Sunday school teacher. He worked for many years as an accountant for Pontiac dealerships in Petersburg and for 26 ½ years for the Petersburg daily newspaper, The Progress-Index, retiring in 1986. He was a charter member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Colonial Heights Civitan Club where he served as treasure in each. He was a member of the American Legion Post 284 in Colonial Heights and Crater Chapter A.A.R.P #1399. He has been a loving and committed husband, father and grandfather and was admired by family and friends for his integrity, conscientiousness and loyalty. He survived by his devoted wife Ruth Wilkinson Bury of Colonial Heights; his son, "T.J." Bury III of Colonial Heights, grandchildren, Stephen Winston and Matthew Kent and their mother, Sheila, of Chester, sister, Clara B. Ameen and her husband, David A. Ameen of Hopewell, sister in-law, Gloria W. Baird of Colonial Heights, brother in-law, William Benjamin "Bennie" Wilkinson, Jr., of Chester. A celebration of his life will be held 2:00 p.m. Wednesday January 5, 2011 in Wesley United Methodist Church 3701 Conduit Road, Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834, with the Reverend Deborah Fair officiating. Interment will be private. The family will receive friends from 1-2 Wednesday at Church . The Colonial Heights Chapel of E. Alvin Small Funeral Home and Crematory 2033 Boulevard are handling the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.