William Harold Thomason

William Harold “Turkey” Thomason, age 84, of Leitchfield, Kentucky, passed away on March 11, 2026, at Owensboro Health Twin Lakes in Leitchfield. Born on October 22, 1941, in Duff, Kentucky, he was the son of the late Albert H. and Emily Louise Burnett Thomason.

A proud United States Marine Corps veteran, Turkey dedicated six decades to his work as an Insurance Agency Manager for Kentucky Farm Bureau. His deep commitment to public service began in 1982 when he joined the Leitchfield City Council, where he served for 36 years, missing only one meeting. In 1994 he became interim Mayor following Sherrill Watson’s illness and was later elected Mayor, serving with distinction for 23 years and nine months until his retirement in 2018. He was a founding member of the Leitchfield Lions Club and American Legion Post 81, the first person appointed to the Board of Citizens Bank (now Wilson & Muir), a lifelong member of Leitchfield United Methodist Church, and the oldest living member of the Grayson County Fair Board. He played a key role in establishing the American Legion Post 81 Veteran’s Memorial Park in 2016.

In his limited free time, Turkey enjoyed restoring vintage Chevrolets and collecting baseball cards and memorabilia. A devoted sports fan, he supported the Grayson County Cougars and the University of Kentucky basketball teams. For 17 years he and his wife Carolyn opened their home to foreign exchange students. He held a special affection for animals, from the ducks at the city park to shelter strays, and especially cherished his dogs Marley and Caesar and his cats Tommy, Reagan, and Peaches.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Carolyn Johnson Thomason of Leitchfield; daughter Shauna Lynne Thomason of Leitchfield; son Patrick Shane Thomason (Ashlee) of Leitchfield; grandchildren Beckam Cooper, Hudson Cooper, Fynn Cooper, Khelan Patrick Thomason, and Elliott Shayne Thomason; sister Georgia Mae Williams of Selma, Indiana; sister-in-law Sandra Psoras of Pennsylvania; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cherished surrogate family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Sarah Jane Thomason, brother-in-law Joe Williams, and aunt Alma Shartzer.