THOMAS, James Dustin "Dusty" Of Baton Rouge, Louisiana (formerly of Lexington), passed away unexpectedly Saturday, February 19, 2011 at home. He was 89 years old. "Dusty" Thomas, born in Lynn, MA in 1921 to Oscar Grueby Thomas and Helen (Ahearn), grew up in Arlington and graduated from Boston's Mechanic Arts High School. He studied at Vesper George School of Art and Fitchburg State College, while learning to fly. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in WWII, training, for a time, as a glider pilot; however, he was reassigned to other aircraft before the Normandy invasion. He was recalled to service in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, where he served as commander of C-119 aircraft, stationed in Japan. Following Korea, he remained a member of the USAF Reserve and retired several years later with the rank of Major. He settled his young family in Lexington (where he lived for over 55 years) and worked a short time in his father's Somerville business, Thomas Neon Tube Company, producing many of the period's iconic advertising signs. He joined the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory (later known as the C.S. Draper Laboratory) as Technical Publications Manager, a position from which he retired over 25 years later. While there, he oversaw project documentation, including that of the Apollo Spaceflight program. Dusty was a gifted artist and photographer. In retirement, he created dozens of intricate, lifelike bird carvings, treasured by his family. He enjoyed golf and even hit two holes-in-one. He is survived by his wife, Victoria (Leskowicz). He will be sorely missed by his beloved children, Karen Thomas Wilcox, and her husband, Howard, of South Natick; and Dustin Harriman Thomas and his wife, Frances (Carlson) Thomas, of Baton Rouge. He is also survived by his loving and dear granddaughters, Amanda Thomas Lemmi and her husband, Alan, and Hannah Thomas, all of Baton Rouge, and his loving brother, William Edward Thomas, of Chatham, Mass. Funeral from the Douglass Funeral Home, 51 Worthen Rd. LEXINGTON Saturday Feb. 26 at 9am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Brigid Church, Lexington at 10am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours Friday from 4pm to 8pm. Interment Newton Cemetery.