Funeral services for Gerald Thomas, age 88, of Brownwood, will be at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, December 17, 2013 in the Coggin Avenue Baptist Church with Bro. Tim Skaggs, Ricky Cavitt, and Bill Allen officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Eastlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday evening from 6:00 until 8:00.
Heartland Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Gerald passed peacefully from this life on December 12, 2013. Billie, his wife of 67 years, was holding his hand when he went to be with his Lord and Savior.
Mr. Thomas was born in Blanket, TX on June 30, 1925 to Lindsey and Una Lewis Thomas. He lived most of his life in Brown County.
Mr. Thomas proudly served his country in the United States Coast Guard from 1943-1946.
A 1949 graduate of Texas A&M University, he taught Vocational Agriculture for 27 years with 15 of those years being in the Brownwood ISD. He influenced the lives of hundreds of his students. Mr. Thomas not only taught about farming, ranching and producing high quality livestock, he taught integrity and self-discipline. Those qualities were apparent in his life. He followed his students beyond high school, always quick to offer words of encouragement and advice in their higher education as well as in their careers.
In 1976, he became the BISD Vocational Director and remained in that position until his retirement in 1985. Mr. Thomas was an active leader in both the Brown County Youth Fair Association and the Brown County Sherriff’s Posse.
He was a longtime member of Coggin Ave. Baptist Church. He served as Deacon and Sunday School teacher for many years. He was also a Master Mason.
Mr. Thomas is survived by his wife, Billie of Brownwood; son, Gary Thomas and wife Rhonda of Early, daughters, Patti Caropepe and husband Ed of Kingsland, Sheri Adams and husband Larry of Gustine; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are brother Bobby Thomas and wife Rita of Early as well as numerous nieces and nephews all of whom he greatly enjoyed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Jim Thomas, sisters Leona Skiles and Jessie Utley and a nephew Jerry Skiles.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Coggin Ave. Baptist Church or Brownwood ISD Gerald Thomas Vocational Building, 2707 Southside Drive, Brownwood, 76801.
Condolences can be offered to the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net