Retired Colonel Talmadge DeWitt Thomas, Jr. passed away on February 9, 2022 at age 96.
Funeral service plans are: Public viewing March 2, 2022, 6-7 P.M. at Biggers Funeral Home, 6100 Azle Ave, Fort Worth, Texas.
On March 3, 2022, 10:15 A.M., the service and military burial will be at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to ‘100’ Club of Comal County.
Survivors are his daughters and spouses: Tobi Carol Bray and Frank; Karen Kay Yeaman; Sherri Dianne Gust; Susan Elizabeth Klimaszewski; Virginia Christine Devine and Mark; stepsons and spouses: Tommy Lynn Wheeler, Jr. and Hehn; Kenneth Wheeler and Beth; many grandchildren and great grandchildren; a brother, Jack Thomas and wife, Alice; nephews and a niece.
He was preceded in death by family members: his wife, Martha Delores “Marty” Wheeler; his infant son, Talmadge Dewitt III; parents: Talmage Dewitt, Sr. and Agnes Virginia; sons-in-law: Jerry Don Yeaman, and Andrew Nicholas Gust.
Joining the U.S. Marine Corps, age 17, he reported for duty July 1st after graduating from North Dallas High School, June 1943, and served in World War II. He was educated at Southwestern Louisiana Institute in the U.S. Marine Corps III D program, the Navy V-12 officer training program. He earned BBA (1948) and MBA (1967) degrees at S.M.U. He received a direct commission (U.S.A.F.), 1950, in Intelligence and served from the Korean conflict era to 1976. He was promoted to the rank of Full Colonel. He was an honor graduate of the Senior War College. He was commissioned an Admiral in the Texas Navy by Gov. William P. Clements, August 7, 1989. He was a licensed Texas Real Estate broker and a Weapons Instructor. Other accolades: Senior rank, Inst. of Electr./ELEC. Engrs., Inc. (Intl); Armed Forces Comms. and ELEC. Assn. (Intl); Assn. of Old Crows (Billy Mitchell Chap.); Retired Officers Assn.; Military Order of World Wars; U.S.A.F. ACAD Silver Falcons Assn. (Life member); Assn. of GRAD of the A.F. ACAD (Honorary Lifetime Member); official appreciation for contributions and support to the U.S.A.F. through the U.S.A.F. ACAD by Supt. Lt. Gen. Charles R. Hamm, 1991; Board of Dirs. Plastics Manufacturing Company (6 years), which included a move from NASDAQ to the NYSE; Dist. Traffic Supt. and DIV Supv. of SBC Comms., Inc., South Texas coastal and border areas; Galveston Texas Rotary Club (1957-1962); New Braunfels Lions Club (2001-2016); President of TRIAD; chairman of SALT (Senior and Law Enforcement Together); activist, “Texans for Lawsuit Reform”; Board of Dirs. and founders, “100 Club” Comal County. He moved from New Braunfels to Blue Skies of Texas-West, San Antonio and then to the Oxford Grand Retirement Home in McKinney, Texas. Thomas believed that a person’s faith in God prevailed over all denominations and he counted himself a Christian “of his own persuasion”. His faith journey began in a family whose members worshiped in the Methodist and First Christian churches. Irrespective of a person’s faith or religion, Thomas believed anyone could receive last rites on a battlefield from an authorized individual ordained to act on behalf of all faiths. He believed anyone can believe and find faith in God. Throughout his life, he considered various religious teachings, mostly found in Protestantism, Biblical Fundamentalism, and Jewish theological thought. He attended Randolph Air Force Base Chapel, was a member of New Braunfels Presbyterian Church and later attended small bible study groups at the Blue Skies Retirement Home.
Chandra
left a message on February 24, 2022:
