Dr. Byron H. Thomas, 19 Feb. 1930 - 27 Aug 2006

THOMAS, OCHS, VETTER

Posted By: Netha M Meyer (email)
Date: 8/28/2006 at 20:38:30

Byron Hugh Thomas was born on February 19, 1930 in Iowa County the son of Hugh Benjamin and Iva Ladema (Ochs) Thomas. He graduated in 1947 from Marengo High School. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Iowa State Teachers, Cedar Falls and his PhD from The University of Iowa in Iowa City. He was inducted into the Marine Corps in December 1951 and served as a clerk in the Depot of Supplies in San Francisco until December 1953. He was united in marriage on April 6, 1950 at Salem United Church of Christ, Alleman to Esther Louise Vetter. She survives.

Also surviving are one son, Mark (Ginger) Thomas, of Wyoming, and four daughters, Marilyn Armstrong, of Monticello, Illinois, Marlene (Greg) Palmer, of Waukon, Marcella Thomas, of Anamosa and Marlys (Troy) Barker, of Nevada; 13 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, two brothers, Orville (Doris) Thomas, of Marion and Warren (Doris) Thomas, of Cedar Falls and two sisters, Velma Mueller, of Bakersfield, California and Ethel (Russell) Wiebold, of Westminster, Colorado, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and three sisters

He started his career as a classroom teacher and taught at Sheldahl, Minburn, and Durant. He was high school principal at Rhodes and then began his Superintendent of Schools career at Olds Consolidated School District in Olds, followed by Coggon, Waco Community at Wayland, Olds, Crawfordsville and Pocahontas. He then worked for Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, as director of education at the Men’s Reformatory in Anamosa, until his retirement in 1992. He worked as a gate supervisor for Per Mar taking tickets at Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball games for 28 years.

He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He loved to travel, attend Iowa Hawkeye games, and was an avid Chicago Cubs fan.

Dr. Byron H. Thomas, of Anamosa and formerly of Wyoming, died at 10:03 a.m. Sunday, August 27, 2006, in St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, after a short illness, at the age of 76 years

Lahey Funeral Home,Wyoming