Funeral services for Ken Thomas, age 74, of Early, will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, December 13, 2021, in the Heartland Funeral Home chapel with Pastor Jim Maxwell of Freedom Fellowship Church officiating. Interment will follow in Eastlawn Memorial Park.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday evening from 6:00 until 8:00.

Ken passed from this world on Thursday, December 9, 2021.

Born September 26, 1947, to his parents Sidney Jessie Thomas and Ida Ree Jewell in Brownwood, Texas. Ken attended school in Goldthwaite and played football for the Eagles. He led those football teams to several winning seasons. After High School, Ken joined the US Army in 1967 and had one tour of Vietnam. Afterwards he was stationed in South Korea and Fort Hood.

While stationed at Fort Hood, Ken married the love of his life, Mary Ann Chapman on August 1, 1970. They were married for 51 amazing years. After his honorable discharge from the Army in 1975, Ken began working for Ross Company in Early. Ken was elected to the Early City Council and then left Ross Company to become the City Manager of Early from 1987 until his retirement on December 31, 2014.

Ken and Mary spent almost every Thursday evening for 20 years ministering to the kids at the Brownwood State School. Ken always put God first in his life even attending church at Freedom Fellowship the last night of his life here on earth. He enjoyed hunting, fishing at their lake home, working with his hands (he built their first TV on their dining room table) and traveling the world with Mary. Whether they were cruising the oceans or driving from Texas to Vermont & Maine to see the fall foliage or to Montana & South Dakota to visit Yellowstone & Mount Rushmore, Ken loved to drive while eating Mary’s chicken salad sandwiches. Always by Mary’s side, they only missed seeing Iowa & Wisconsin.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, brother Charles Thomas and his sister Margie Cox. He is survived by his wife Mary Thomas, one daughter, Dianne and her husband Steve Fryar of Brownwood, sister Delores and husband Dan Chapman of Early, Granddaughter Kaitlyn and her husband Tim Peevy of Early, two great-grandkids and several nieces and nephews and lots of great friends.

Ken was an awesome Godly husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, father-in-law and friend anyone could have ever met. So many people have attributed their walk with God to him.

Condolences, memories, and tributes can be offered to the Thomas family online at heartlandfuneralhome.net.