Gail Gordon Thomas

Gail Gordon "Tom" Thomas was born near Hunter, Kansas on February 18, 1928. He died on Sunday, May 21, 2006 in the Long Term Care Unit of the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit, Kansas.
Tom grew up in rural Hunter and lived his entire life within 17 miles of his birthplace. He attended rural primary schools and graduated from Hunter High School in 1946.
Early in his life, Tom learned to love the outdoors and animals working with his father. Into his late twenties, he rode horses and bulls in area rodeos. He continued to train horses in his late 50's. As a young man, Tom worked at several jobs: among them heavy equipment operator and roofer and then settled on his life work as a ranch hand on the 3-J Ranch between Hunter and Beloit. He worked for the Vanier family on the ranch first with his own father and then with his sons. As a young man, Tom was a member of the Kansas Army National Guard. Tom retired from the ranch after more then fifty years and moved to Beloit in 2001 to improve the quality of life for Mary Ann and their physically challenged son, though the country was never far from his heart.
Tom was united in marriage to Mary Ann Fischer at Salina, Kansas in 1954. Tom and Mary Ann celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June, 2004.
Tom enjoyed fishing, hunting (game and coyotes), horse racing, NASCAR, and raising greyhounds. With his sister Evelyn, he was dedicated to his parents and his younger disabled brother "Buck". When Mary Ann became ill in 2003, he promised to care for her at home himself and did that until she died on February 23, 2006 with Tom by her side, even though he himself had become seriously ill in November, 2004.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, George "Shorty" and Mathilda Thomas, his younger brother Neil "Buck" Thomas, an infant daughter Patricia, and his wife Mary Ann Thomas. He is survived by sister Evelyn and her husband Richard Keller of Hunter, sons Jan and Jeff (Marilyn) Thomas of Beloit, and daughters Konnie (Rick) Wheeler and Krista (Rex) Jackson of Wichita. Grandson Ryan Jackson remembers his grandfather taking him to the annual Mitchell County Fair demolition derby against his will and granddaughters Madison and Regan Wheeler will never forget the used bikes he found for them to enjoy when they came to visit, among many other fond memories. Also surviving are sisters and brothers in law: Helen and Richard Findley of Abingdon, Virginia; James and Ellen Fischer of Twin Falls, Idaho; Bill and Phyllis Fischer of Lyndon, Kansas, and Donna Fischer of Lincoln, Kansas. Many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends will remember Tom's quiet humor and gentle friendship.
A family memorial service for he and his wife Mary Ann who died on February 23, 2006 will be held at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hunter with Pastor Gerald Radtke officiating. Burial of the ashes will follow in the Greenwood Union Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the church or Solomon Valley Hospice. McDonald Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangments.