Thomas, Robert McG

Robert McG. Thomas Jr. was born and grew up in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Joining "The New York Times" as a copyboy in 1959, he went on to work for the paper as a police reporter, rewrite man, society news reporter, and sportswriter before turning to obituaries full-time in 1995, the year he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Thomas died in January 2000.