R. Byron Thomas
July 17, 1928 ~ April 17, 2010
Thomas, R. Byron, 81, retired oil and gas Landman, passed away at home on Saturday, April 17, 2010. A Memorial Service will be held at Downing and Lahey Mortuary, 6555 E. Central, Wichita, KS on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 2 p.m. He was the youngest of seven children born to Alfred and Winnie Thomas on July 17, 1928 in Tulsa, OK. Byron began his 50 year career by working in the Colorado and Wyoming oil fields to earn money for college. Byron served three years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and was awarded the Soldiers Medal of Valor. It was while he was in the Air Force that Byron married Nancy Leigh Giddens, his wife of 57 years. Upon his honorable discharge in 1953, Byron returned to the Land Department of Skelly Oil Company working in Oklahoma City, Liberal, and Wichita, KS. Byron attended Oklahoma State University and Wichita State University. He joined Colorado Oil and Gas Corporation as District Land Manager, moving his young family to Wichita in 1960. Beginning in 1968, Byron was the Land manager for twelve years at Pickrell Drilling Company before joining Gear Petroleum in 1980. Although Byron retired from the oil and gas business in 1994, he remained active by consulting and mentoring many new faces to the business. Byron was a Certified Professional Landman, a member of the American Association of Professional Landmen, a member and past president of the Wichita Association of Professional Landmen (WAPL), and a member of the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association (KIOGA). In 1994, he was voted “Landman of the Year” by his peers in the WAPL. Byrons passions were golf, landscape gardening, and woodworking, building and restoring many pieces of furniture and creating other projects over the years. He and Nancy are Members of East Heights United Methodist Church. Byron is survived by his wife, Nancy; son Bob and daughter-in-law Nancy Kaye Thomas of Wallingford, PA; daughter Beth Thomas of Galveston, TX; granddaughter Arden Thomas of Everett, WA; grandson Matthew Thomas of Media, PA; and granddaughter Jordan Leigh Thomas of State College, PA. Byron has two living siblings, Lillian Holland of Des Peres, MO and Bill Thomas of Sun City, AZ. He is also survived by his devoted cat “Ralph”. The family wishes to thank the many good friends and neighbors, and his caregivers during his final days. Memorials have been established at: Murfin Animal Care Campus of the Kansas Humane Society, 3313 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219; and Amedisys Hospice Services, 250 W. Douglas, Suite 101, Wichita, KS 67202. Tributes may be sent to the family via www.dlwichita.com.
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Dear Nancy and family: I am so saddened by Byron’s passing. I have very fond memories of good times spent with you all in times past. God bless all of you with His peace and comfort. Joanne Rupnow, formerly Thomas .
I was sorry to hear of Byron’s passing. Whenever I think about the attributes that described Byron, what comes to my mind is — he was a gentleman, a very special man, an all-around good man, a devoted family man, who deeply loved his wife, daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren — he was always concerned about their well being. He was a man of integrity, a man of his word, and the best landman I have ever known. During the 20 years I worked with Byron, he taught me everything I know about land and leasing and the legal documents associated with the oil business. Even though I was his assistant, he always told me that we were a team and that he couldn’t do the land work without me. Leaving Wichita and no longer working with Byron, returning to Denver at 62 years of age, was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. But God was faithful by providing me a job and friendship with a fellow believer, and I am still working for him with my office in my home. God is good. Working for Byron was one of the best and very memorable experiences I have ever had, and I will always remember Byron as the most competent, capable landman I have ever met in my 60 years of working in the oil and gas industry. My thoughts and prayers are with Nancy, Beth, and Bob and Nancy and Arden, Matthew, and Jordan. Fondly, JoAnn Sarver