Herman Douglas Thomas

THOMAS, HERMAN Herman Douglas Thomas, Christian husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend entered his eternal heavenly home on Wednesday, June 8, 2005. A celebration of Doug’s life will be Saturday, June 11 at 9:30am at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey funeral home at 6101 Bosque Boulevard with Rev. Nathan Porter, Rev. Barry Camp and Rev. Robert James officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 6-9 pm, Friday, June at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Doug was born on May 22, 1926 in Victoria, Alabama to J.C. and Berta Mae Brown Thomas. He graduated in 1944 from Luverne High School in Luverne, Alabama where he was named the all-state football team his senior year. He honorably served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater. After being honorably discharged in 1946, he returned to Alabama, where he attended Howard University and later graduated from the University of Alabama in 1949 with his Bachelor of Science degree and Pi Kappa Phi honor society membership. He attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary form 1949 to 1950 before returning to his high school alma mater where he taught and coached. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and honorably served from 1952 to 1956, reaching the rank of 1st Lieutant. He was affectionately called “Gramps” by the members of his cadet class. After serving as a navigator/bombardier in a B-26 squadron, his last duty station was James Connally Air Force Base in Waco, where he served as a Celestial Navigation Instructor. He met his future bride, Frances Marie Coppin in 1955 at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. They were married June 1, 1956 and recently celebrated their 49th year of marriage. He continued his education by graduating with a Master of Science degree from Baylor University in 1959. A member of Calvary Baptist Church since 1955, Doug served as a deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Royal Ambassador leader, and sanctuary choir member. He helped organize the Royal Ambassador group at the First Mexican Baptist Church in Waco and also participated in the Pan American Baptist Layman’s Conference in Ro de Janeiro, Brazil in 1968, serving as an evangelist in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, and Peru. After completing his Air Force assignment, he became a public school educator in the Waco Independent School Distinct serving for 19 years as a teacher at West Junior High, Lake Air Junior High and Richfield High School. He also served as a assistant at the two latter schools before being assigned to the principal at Tennyson Junior High School, where he served for 12 years. In 1974 he moved to Baylor University , where he served for 19 years as the Director of Undergraduated Admissions, retiring in 1993. Herman is survived by his beautiful bride, Frances Marie Thomas of Waco; daughter, Laura Thomas of Waco; son, and daughter-in-law, Charles Douglas and Jeanna Thomas of Cypress, TX; grandsons, Charles and John Dunwoody of Waco, Blake Douglas and Ryan Douglas Thomas of Cypress; granddaughter, Chloe Marie Thomas of Cypress; sisters, Mildred Moore of Luverne, Alabama and Annette Murray of Albany, Georgia; brothers, Harry Thomas of Luverne, Alabama and Jack Thomas of Niceville, Florida and stepmother, Ottie Thomas of Luverne, Alabama. Pallbearers will be David Lintz, C.L. Fisher, Rex Whitaker, Mark Whitaker, Roger Fuller, Roland Drewyer, Sr., Bill Elmore and Dan Phillips. Honorary pallbearer will be Dr. C. G. Shellenberger. Memorials can be made to the F.D. and Dovie Coppin Scholarship Fund, c/o Bill Dube, Baylor University, P.O. Box 97026, Waco, Texas. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY