William Hadley Thomas

Services were at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Buffalo United Methodist Church with the Rev. Robert Long and pastor Allen Howell officiating. Music will be provided by Sandy Hatfield with “Old Rugged Cross,” Michael Thomas with “Amazing Grace,” and Carla Deckard organist. Burial is in Mission Ridge Cemetery under the direction of Montgomery-Viets Funeral Home of Buffalo. Memorials may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital, 210 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131-3597. Escorts are Michael Gardner, Brandon Gardner, Todd Grant, Scott Grant, B.J. Thomas and Gail Noon. Honorary escorts are Tim Dixon, Joe Reser, D.W. Hamlet, Russell Douglas, Kevin Sharpe, Jon Chalker, Tom Wiles and Tom Kissee. Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, at the funeral home. William Hadley Thomas was born Aug. 18, 1911, in Urbana, the son of James E. and Maude (Harrell) Thomas. He died Feb. 1, 2011, at Colonial Springs Healthcare Center, Buffalo, at the age of 99 years, 5 months and 14 days. He attended Missouri State Teachers College, now Missouri State University, for two years. He married his high school sweetheart, Hazel Hobbs, in 1937, and they had three daughters. He was a well-known cattleman in the area and was a partner with his dad in the National Commission Co., at the Springfield Stockyards. He left the stockyards in 1947, and moved his family to Buffalo to become a partner with his brother, Glenn, in the Thomas Ford Motor Co., where he stayed for 14 years. He sold the dealership in 1960, and returned to the stockyards as an order buyer, as he loved to do. He was a member of many organizations: Buffalo United Methodist Church, a charter member of the Buffalo Saddle Club, Sheriff’s Posse, Buffalo Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Temple of Joplin, Abou Ben Adhem Shrine, board member of O’Bannon Bank for 14 years, and the Dallas County School Board. He was preceded in death by his parents; five sisters: Bessie, Jewell, Pearl, Alice Wendelyn and Maxine; two brothers: Glenn and Wendell; and his loving wife of 73 years. Survivors include three daughters: Nancy and husband, Deryl Lilley, Buffalo, Sally and husband, Henry Cook, Springfield, and Diana and husband, Larry Grant, Morrisville; six grandchildren: Lisa and husband, Brandell Floyd, Buffalo, Carrie and husband, Randy Knapp, Long Lane, Tim and wife, Linda Dixon, Norway, Kelly Grant, Springfield, Todd and wife, Penny Grant, and Scott and wife, Tammy Grant, all of Morrisville; nine great-grandchildren: Michael and wife, Sara Gardner, and Brandon Gardner, all of Buffalo, Kristin Knapp, Lebanon, Hillary Grant, Springfield, Madison Grant, Hadden Grant and Brock Grant, all of Morrisville, Patrick and Stephon Dixon, Norway; and many nieces and nephews

William Hadley Thomas

August 18, 1911 - January 1, 2011