John Beecher Thomas

John Beecher Thomas, born May 28, 1928 to James E. and Lola Thomas in Seneca, Missouri, died Thursday, October 27, 2011 at St. Bernard’s Medical Center.

Always a journalist at heart, Mr. Thomas, at the age of twelve, began working at the Seneca News Dispatch, first as a clean-up person, then hand setting type and operating a linotype machine, and later the printing presses. After graduating from Seneca High School, he attended Oklahoma A&M College, Stillwater, for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He served as an editor of the Stars and Stripes in Japan, and then was deployed to South Korea during the Korean Conflict.

When he returned to the States he was stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He then married Louise Frisby on December 9, 1951. After his discharge from the Army, they moved to Columbia, Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri, where he earned a BS in Business Administration. He continued his education, earning an MS in Journalism from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, where he served as manager of the Daily O’Collegian Student Newspaper.

Mr. Thomas worked as an editor for Consumers Cooperative Association in Kansas City. He then taught journalism and photography at Iowa State in Ames, University of Memphis, Oklahoma State in Stillwater, and retired from Arkansas State in 1993.

Mr. Thomas was an active member of Highland Drive Christian Church and served as a Sunday School Teacher and Elder Emeritis.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, two brothers, and a son, John Christian Thomas.

He is survived by his wife of nearly sixty years, Louise F. Thomas, a daughter, Susannah Thomas Dethrow and her husband Mike, two granddaughters, Shawn Autumn Thomas and Sheridan Isabella Dethrow, all of Jonesboro, and a sister, Martha Lou Long of Sierra Vista, Arizona.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at Highland Drive Christian Church on Sunday, October 30th at 2:00 pm with Rev. Dr. Debra Matthews officiating.

There will be no visitation.

In lieu of flowers, please consider Helping Neighbors Food Pantry, Heifer International, or St. Bernards Development Foundation, organizations very dear to the Thomas family.