Thomas Rea Falls

Thomas Rea Falls July 21, 1931 July 6, 2015 Tom Falls passed away on July 6, 2015, at Sodalis Assisted Living & Memory Care. He would have been 84 on July 21. Services will be officiated by Steve Mansen at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 10, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will be held 5:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday, July 9, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Tom was born on July 21, 1931, in Scurry County, Texas, to Thelma and Rea Falls. He graduated from Ira High School in West Texas in 1948. He initially received a basketball scholarship to Howard Payne University, and graduated from Sul Ross State University with a degree in Animal Husbandry in 1952. He then entered the Air Force during the Korean War where, due to his expertise in mathematics and his love of teaching, he was stationed as a math instructor at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio. Following his military service, Tom received a Master of Education from Texas A&M University in 1957, prior to beginning what became a 37-year career selling insurance for Texas Farm Bureau. He lived in the Valley until moving to Waco in 1972, where he lived for the next 43 years. Tom's West Texas roots grounded him throughout his life. He greeted everyone with a smile and a handshake, and his word was his bond. For Tom, engaging people wherever they were at that moment in their lives gave him energy and purpose. This ethic was learned early in life from the hardworking men and women in West Texas, who farmed and ranched and whose faith in God and nature shaped his formative years, providing the foundation both for his Farm Bureau career and for his lifelong pastime as an avid gardener. Tom loved nurturing others, helping them reach their full potential. This is best exemplified in his tutoring of children at Bell's Hill Elementary School in math and English, following his retirement from Farm Bureau. He adored all children, and one of the most joyful parts of his life was the time spent with his grandchildren. Tom also was a longstanding member of Central Christian Church, where he served as an elder, and was a longstanding and active member of the Waco Rotary Club. Tom is preceded in death by his father, Rea Falls, and his mother, Thelma Sis Miller Falls Smith. Survivors include his loving wife of 34 years, Mavis; his six children, Kim Falls Kimberlin David, Birmingham, Alabama, Ryan Falls Sarah, Harlingen, Kerry Gray, Harlingen, Kim Relyea Rich, Sebastopol, California, Callie Rendon, Waco, and Marilee Prewett Mark, Valley Mills; his sister, Gloria Ann Falls Trotter Bill, Fort Worth; 12 grandchildren; and 1 great grandchild. Tom's family expresses its sincere gratitude for all of the wonderful caregivers at Sodalis and Southern Care Hospice. Their compassion and expertise skillfully guided us all during these last months and days. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association of North Central Texas, 688 Alliance Pkwy, Ste 500, Hewitt TX 76643; or to Central Christian Church, 4901 Lake Shore Drive, Waco, 76710. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.