M/Sgt. Ira J. Thomas, Jr.

M/Sgt. Ira J. Thomas, Jr. 82, (USAF Retired), of Friendswood, passed away on July 31, 2015 in Houston. Services will be at 11:00 AM Saturday, August 8, 2015, at Fallbrook Church in Houston, with Pastor Michael A. Pender, Sr., officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Troy B. Smith Professional Services of Houston. Graveside services will be at 1:00 PM Tuesday, August 11, 2015, at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Pampa, with Rev. Wesly Smith, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church of Pampa, officiating. Military honors are courtesy of U. S. Air Force, Altus, Oklahoma. Arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors of Pampa. M/Sgt. Thomas was born on August 3, 1932 in Pampa to Lessie McNeil and Ira J. Thomas, Sr. He was fondly called “Billy Joe” by friends and family. At an early age, he was baptized and united with Macedonia Baptist Church in Pampa, under the leadership of Rev. E. F. Nelson and worshipped there all of his childhood and teenage years. He graduated from Carver High School in Pampa and later joined the United States Air Force in 1953. M/Sgt. Thomas was joined in holy matrimony to Neva Sylvester on August 28, 1957 in DeRidder, Louisiana. M/Sgt. Thomas served in the United States Air Force from 1953 to 1973 where he enjoyed a career in inventory management as inventory management specialist, inventory management supervisor, and retiring as inventory management superintendent from Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, in February of 1973. His tours of duty took him to Germany, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Colorado, Mississippi, and Texas. After his retirement from the Air Force, M/Sgt. Thomas continued his career with Cabot/Ingersoll Rand in Pampa where he retired as inventory management supervisor in 1985. M/Sgt. Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Ira J. Thomas, Sr. and Lessie “Mama Pacy” McNeil; a brother, Henry Spencer; a son, Billy Gene Thomas; two step-children, Curtis Irvine and Nettie M. Irvine; one grandchild, Dena Simmons; and one nephew, Roxy Spencer. M/Sgt. Thomas is survived by his wife of 57 years, Neva Thomas of Friendswood; a daughter, Terrie Thompson and husband Milton of Friendswood; a stepbrother, Clarence “Skip” Thomas of Detroit, Michigan; three grandchildren, Michael Thompson of Friendswood, LaShonda Thomas Pendleton of Dallas, and Diana Williams and husband Farley of Jacksonville, Florida; one great-grandchild, Damara Simmons of Jacksonville, Florida; and one great-great grandson, Dante Wattley; three nieces, Beverly Scott and husband Ted, Kennye Spencer and Wandra Coyle, all of Pampa; one nephew, Joe Graves of Pampa; two very special Godsons, Walter Letherman and McKinley Wilkerson; and a host of relatives and friends.