Carl Dorsey Thomas

Dorsey Thomas, 91, of Abilene, Texas passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2014, in Abilene. Dorsey was born in Ft. Worth, Texas to George Clayton and Iva Loretta Stone Thomas. He was the oldest of six children. In 1942, Dorsey volunteered for the Army Air Corps. He served in the China-Burma-India Theatre of Operations and was stationed at the Bengal Airport in Calcutta, India in the Engine Repair Squadron. He received an Honorable Discharge on January 29, 1946. For him, the most memorable part of being in India was being a part of the train escort detail for shipments that were sent from his base. On September 21, 1947 Dorsey married Mildred Ranels at the Burleson Church of Christ in Marshall, Texas. They lived in and around Marshall until 1955 when they moved to Abilene, Texas. Dorsey was baptized in 1948. When Dorsey and Mildred moved to Abilene, he began working as an air conditioning technician for Batjer & Company. Several years later, he started Dorsey’s Heating and Air Conditioning and later bought another firm and incorporated all as Weathermasters, Inc. Dorsey and Mildred owned and operated Weathermasters for 35 years, until he retired. Over the 67 years that Dorsey and Mildred were married, they were blessed to have been able to serve GOD and fellowship with several churches. In Abilene they have strong ties to 11th and Willis, Minter Lane, Highland and Hillcrest Churches of Christ. Dorsey served as a deacon at two of those churches. One of Dorsey’s favorite things to do was the Saturday night 42 Games with his Minter Lane family. Dorsey had a very curious mind and a lifelong love of learning, always interested and ready to embrace new ideas and technology. He was a voracious reader and spent much of his time on the computer researching genealogy, staying up to date with friends and family on Facebook and exploring lands and places that he dreamed of traveling to. He loved the journey as much or more than he did the destination. His hobbies included learning how things worked and how to fix things that didn’t work, wood working, mechanics, electronics and general tinkering of all kinds. Dorsey will be remembered as a kind, gentle, calm and steady man who cared about people and loved unconditionally. To his parents he was “Son”, he was a loving brother, a loyal friend, Mildred’s husband, protector and best friend of over 67 years. He was father and father-in-law to his children and their spouses and Deah to his grandchildren. Dorsey was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Ada Lee Thomas Langley and Jay Nelle Thomas. Dorsey is survived by his wife, Mildred; his son Steve and wife Kris, their children Katriana Zommers and Talis Zommers, and Steve’s son Ryan Thomas and wife Sara along with their children Ainsley and Liam; and his daughter Carla and husband Greg and their children SarahBeth Sims and Bubba Sims. Dorsey is also survived by his sister Betty Humphries and his two brothers, Bob Thomas and Bill Thomas with his wife Vivian Ann, as well as many cousins, nephews, nieces and friends who have been a part of our family for many years. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, December 15, at Hillcrest Church of Christ directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene. Burial in the Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene will be private. The family will receive friends 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, December 14, at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Fred Heatherly, Joe Joplin, Ralph Monroe, Al Rodgers, Miguel Roure, Ray Silva, Gary Smith and Jimmy West. In Dorsey’s honor, plan a special time with someone you love, or memorials may be given to the West Texas Rehab Center, 4601 Hartford, Abilene, TX 79605, or the Church or charity of your choice. Our family extends our sincere thanks to Dr. Brian Ganesh, Dr. Yogeshkumar Patel, Dr. M. Al-sayyad. and the nurses and staff at Wisteria Place and Abilene Regional Medical Center.