RONALD THOMASON

1940 - 2019

Ronald Carroll Thomason, long-time Canyon resident, passed from this world into the arms of God on Thursday, February 21, 2019 at the age of 78 in Austin, Texas.

A celebration of his life will be held at University Church of Christ in Canyon on March 2, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. with David Lough and Bob Shepard officiating. Interment will follow at Dreamland Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Brooks Chapel in Canyon on Friday, March 1 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Ron was born June 29, 1940, in Hollis, Oklahoma to David Castleman (D.C.) and Lula Elizabeth King Thomason. He graduated Wellington High School in 1958 where he played Skyrocket football, served as an athletic trainer, and boxed in Golden Gloves.

After graduating from Wellington High, he earned a degree in agriculture/plant science from West Texas State College, in 1962.

While at WT, he began dating Anne McCarver of Hereford. They were married at the Joseph Hill Chapel, on the West Texas State campus, Nov. 3, 1961.

Ron's professor and friend Dr. Jimmie Green, encouraged him to attend graduate school. He received his Master's Degree in 1964 and a Ph.D. in plant genetics in 1966 from Colorado State University.

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Ron's first assignment was to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver, Colorado, in 1966. Temporary duty was at Beale Air Force Base at Marysville/Yuba City, California. He was honorably discharged in 1968.

In Sept., 1968, Ron took a faculty position at the University of Missouri in Columbia. In 1969 he began his teaching career at West Texas State University where he taught in the agriculture department, retiring in 2006 as a Professor Emeritus. His main accolades from his career were hearing about the successful lives of former students.

Ron loved his family. Coaching his sons in all sports and watching his grandchildren in their activities, brought a smile to his face and joy to his heart. He and Anne enjoyed traveling. Ron always wanted to take one road going and a different road coming back.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife and best friend of 57 years, Anne McCarver Thomason; sons, William David Thomason and wife, Stephanie and their children, Ashlee and Tyler Thomason, and Mark Allen Thomason and wife, Alissa and their children, Aiden Thomason, Alexis Marriott Grubb and husband, Jason, and Blake Marriott; and two great-grandchildren.

Ron was blessed with a wonderful University Church of Christ family that provided meaning and guidance to his life. The Thomason family wishes to send a heartfelt thank you to all the churches, friends, family, and countless others, who have sent prayers on their behalf.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ron Thomason Scholarship Fund at WT, Christian Relief Fund, or High Plains Children's Home. Please view the full obituary at www.brooksfuneral.com