Stephen Thomas

1948 - 2021

Stephen Thomas

Stephen "Steve" Wallace Thomas, 72, passed away January 6, 2021 surrounded by family at home in Colleyville, Texas.

Steve was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma, on February 28, 1948 to Howard and Vernell Thomas. Steve attended Pawnee High School, was very involved in sports and liked to tell people he was named "All City". He went on to follow in his big brother's footsteps attending the University of Oklahoma and as a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, earning his BBA in 1970. It was also at a Sigma Chi rush party held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he met the love of his life, Judith "Judy" Kaderli. Upon their first meeting, and unbeknownst to his actual date at the time, he tells Judy that "I would like to start dating, when we get back to school"... and so it was. They were married July 5, 1968 and would have been married 53 years this summer.

Steve had a personality and a presence that, in his nephew's words, "loomed large". He never met a stranger with so many ultimately considering him a brother or father figure. Steve's circle was large with close knit family and many dear friends, including high school and college friends, friends with whom he shared his love of hunting, fishing and playing golf, coworkers from his days working at Xerox Corporation and at his company, All Texas Decks, and a very special group of men that served with his brother, U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Michael Thomas, who was killed in action in South Vietnam.

Steve's favorite places were Padre Island, Texas and Key West, Florida, where he spent countless hours with his fishing buddy, Judy, but also had many special times with his son, Michael; daughter, Kristin; son-in-law, Alan and granddaughters, Kate and Caroline. He also loved hunting on the Oklahoma ranch with his son, Michael; faithful four-legged best friend, Bailey; and many dear friends and extended family.

Steve made a lasting impression and was the unwavering rock who was there to give advice and support to whomever needed it. While being a rock, he was also a huge teddy bear with an abundance of generosity and a giant heart. He was always the life of the party, providing friends and family with countless stories to be told. He lived his life to the absolute fullest and although we all mourn for him, we truly celebrate his love of life and are so grateful and better for knowing him. We all have a guardian angel smiling down at us sitting at his newest fishing hole, where he has been reunited with his parents, Howard and Vernell Thomas; his brother, 2nd Lt. Michael Thomas and his cousin, Tom Kolb. He is survived by his beloved Judy; his son, Michael Thomas of Bedford, Texas; his daughter, Kristin Rucker; son-in-law, Alan Rucker; granddaughters, Kate and Caroline Rucker of Dallas, Texas; his sister, Susan Thomas Sanders and brother-in-law, Paul Sanders of Edmond, Oklahoma; nephew, Brent Sanders of London, England; nephew, Carter Sanders, Carter's wife, Pascha and their five children, Gabe, Olive, Kenton, Charlie and William Sanders of Norman, Oklahoma; his brother-in-law and wife, Holice Hilton Kaderli, Jr. and Alma of Edmond, Oklahoma; nephew, Holice Hilton Kaderli, III of Edmond, Oklahoma; nephew, Willard Kaderli and his wife, Rebecca of Glen Allen, Virginia; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

There will be a private graveside service in his childhood home of Pawnee, Oklahoma at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy at foundationforpn.org.