Profile Text
Thomas in 2010, photo by kathclick /www.bigstockphoto.com/
Birth Name: Jon Thomas Terrell
Date of Birth: July 12, 1948
Place of Birth: Kermit, Winkler, Texas, U.S.
Date of Death: August 24, 2017
Place of Death: Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: * father – English, Irish * mother – Italian/Sicilian
Jay Thomas was an American actor, comedian, and radio personality.
Jay was the son of Kathryn/Katharine/Katherine and Timothy Harry Terrell. He was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jay was married to Sally Michelson, with whom he had two children. Jay was also the biological father of country music songwriter J. T. Harding.
Jay’s paternal grandfather was Timothy Franklin Terrell (the son of Timothy Franklin Terrell and Endemia Elizabeth Andrews). Jay’s grandfather Timothy was born in Merit, Hunt County, Texas. Jay’s great-grandfather Timothy was born in Adairsville, Bartow County, Georgia, the son of John Thompson Terrell and Ann Baker. Endemia was born in Alabama.
Jay’s paternal grandmother was Vallie Churchill (the daughter of Alfred Lee Churchill and Addie Lela Gholson). Vallie was born in Jones County, Texas. Alfred was born in Texas, the son of Alfred Churchill and Martha Jane Copeland. Addie was born in Evant, Coryell County, Texas, the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Gholson and Jane Adeline Langford.
Jay’s maternal grandfather was Santo Guzzino (the son of Leonardo Guzzinoa and Vincentia Rosina). Santo was born in Caccamo, Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
Jay’s maternal grandmother was Maria/Mary Balsamo/Balsano (the son of Joseph Balsamo and Catarine Di Loretto). Maria/Mary was born in Gibellina, Trapani, Sicily, Italy.
Sources: Genealogy of Jay Thomas – http://www.geni.com
Obituary of Jay’s mother – http://www.legacy.com