Dale L. Thomas

Dale L. (Papa) Thomas, 73, of Raymondville, Mo., died Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014, at the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 23 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with Rev. John Epperson officiating. A graveside service with military honors will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Adel. Friends may call at the Smith Funeral Home beginning 2 p.m. Monday and the family will be present at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday. Following the visitation the family will host a dinner at the Grinnell Eagles Club from 7 to 9 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Dale Thomas Memorial Fund and sent in care of Beth Thomas, 20045 Golden Trail, Raymondville, MO 65555.

Dale was born on Aug. 16, 1941, in Brown County near Mount Sterling, Ill., to Frank and Nellie Nevins Thomas. He was raised in Brown County and graduated from Brown County High School. From 1961 to 1964, he served with the United States Army and was stationed in Korea. On Nov. 11, 1962, he was married to Beth Anthony in Grinnell. The couple lived in Newton and Fairfield before moving to Missouri. He worked as a contract supervisor from 1968 to 2004, for United Telephone Company and later Sprint Telecommunications. Following his retirement the couple moved to Raymondville, Mo. Dale was the first one to help a friend or neighbor in need. He never hesitated to volunteer to coach a little league team or lead a 4-H club event. He enjoyed camping, hunting, trail riding, roping, motorcycling, fishing and cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs. He loved his family very much and cherished spending time with them.

Survivors include his wife, Beth Thomas of Raymondville; two sons, Brian (Donna) Thomas of San Angelo, Texas and Brent (Jackie) Thomas of Hodgenville, Ky.; four grandchildren, Karianne of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Spring, Colo., Cody Thomas of Odenton, Md., Hunter Thomas and Nichole Thomas, both of Hodgenville; one brother, Wayne Thomas of Rushville, Ill.; and two sisters, Alice Warner of Sarepta, La., and Margaret Sullivan of Vermont, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his parents.