Blytheville - James L. "Coach" Thomas, 81, passed away Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born December 23, 1928 in a two room shack in the Oak Grove Community, ten miles south of Batesville to the late Chester R. and Elva Branscum Thomas. Mr. Thomas attended a log cabin elementary school in the Oak Grove Community and high school in Floral. He entered Harding College in Searcy at the age of 15...