William J. Thomas

William J. (Bill) Thomas age 88, of Missouri Valley, Iowa passed away on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at Longview Care Center in Missouri Valley, Iowa. William was born February 22, 1926 to Clarence and Tena (Wohlers) Thomas and grew up on the farms in the Beebeetown area where he enjoyed boxing, baseball, farming, and getting together with the many family members and friends in the area. After graduating from High School, he joined the United States Army Corps stationed in Florida, Wisconsin, and Washington State before being transferred to the Pacific Theater where he served as a Radar Technician, with stops at Hawaii, Guam, Midway, Wake Island, Okinawa and Japan. William married Betty J. Royer on August 20, 1947 in Woodbine, Iowa and together raised two sons, Kent and Bruce. Returning from the service, he started farming with his father in the Modale area moving onto the farm that is now known as the “Home Place” in 1955. He continued farming with Clarence until his retirement in the mid 60’s. His sons, Kent and Bruce entered into the farming operation in 1977. William continued actively farming and living on the farm until he moved to Missouri Valley during the flood of 2011. He loved visiting Colorado where he had spent a month working on his Uncle Harry’s ranch in his mid-teens and continued to go there for short vacations in the 50’s and 60’s. He enjoyed attending baseball games in Omaha, Kansas City, and Chicago with not only his immediate family but brothers in law and nephews as well. William and Betty were regular attenders of their son’s and grandchildren’s sporting events and school programs. He was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church joining the First Lutheran Church, in Missouri Valley in the mid 50’s. William was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Tena Thomas, sister and brother in law; Bernice and Richard Hansen, brother in law William McIntosh and infant sister Mildred Thomas. William is survived by his wife of 67 years Betty, sister, Helen McIntosh, sisters and husbands, Shirley and Ira Golden and Jean and Lynn Royer, sons; Kent and Dixie and Bruce and Kathy, five grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and many relatives and friends. A Prayer Service will be held Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. with visitation following until 8:00 p.m. at Hennessey Funeral Home in Missouri Valley, Iowa. The family would like to invite everyone to a time of lunch and fellowship after the committal service at The First Lutheran Church in Missouri Valley, Iowa. In Loving Memory Of William J. (Bill) Thomas Born February 22, 1926 Missouri Valley, Iowa Entered Into Rest October 18, 2014 Missouri Valley, Iowa Funeral Services 10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 23, 2014 First Lutheran Church Missouri Valley, Iowa Officiating Pastor Ray Smith Organist Betty Marquardt Music Selection “How Great Thou Art” “Holy Holy Holy” “The Tree Of Life” Honorary Bearers Lynn Royer Ira Golden Mark Wohlers Casket Bearers Tom McIntosh Dick Hansen Dan Royer Ryan Thomas Jason Lausterer Jay Wheeldon Final Resting Place Grange Cemetery~ Honey Creek, Iowa Military Honors will be conducted by the Julius F. Muller American Legion Post #337. “Do Farmers farm in Heaven?” My young son asked me, so sad.. So many times he’d ridden on The tractor with my Dad.. “Sure they do”, I told him as His eyes turned to the sky. “God gives us all a job to do In Heaven when we die”. “But, what do Farmers plant up there?” He asked, so sure that I would know.. So I said “come sit, let’s talk a bit” “About what farmers in Heaven grow..” I told how there was so much food With fields of flowers everywhere, And how a farmer like his Grandpa Was really needed there.. Then his eyes turned towards the window At the tractor by the barn And he said (as if I didn’t know) “But he forgot his tractor Mom” I smiled and tickled him a bit Saying “Grandpa knows that too…. Heaven has a lot of tractors so.. He left his here for you.” -Author Unknown Dad’s First Tractor 1946 H

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