John Wayne Thomas Sr., 78, died Jan. 5, 2017, at Wesley Woodlawn Hospital and E.R., Wichita. He was born April 20, 1938, in Pontotoc, Miss., to Juanita Davis.

John graduated from Waynesville High School in Waynesville, Mo. in 1957. He enlisted and served 20 years in the United States Air Force and retired as a Master Sergeant. John later became a claims adjuster for State Farm Insurance Company and retired after 20 years. He also made deliveries for the Medicine Shoppe in Hutchinson. (Medicine Shoppe will be closed Tuesday from 9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the service.)

John valued and loved spending time with his family and traveling to Lawrence to watch KU basketball and football. He went to the annual NJCAA tournaments to cheer on the HCC Blue Dragons. John was a passionate fan of both colleges. John enjoyed playing golf with the Senior League at Turkey Creek Golf Course and having coffee with friends at the 30th Street McDonald's, Hutchinson. He and Marian would go on cruises together and take trips to Kansas Star Casino, Mulvane, to play Black Jack. All the dealers there knew him by name. John and Marian were always seen together; they never did anything apart. For the past several years they even battled cancer together, and John fought the hardest battle for his beloved wife.

On July 16, 1960, John married Marian L. Mucklow in Watertown, New York. She survives. Other survivors include: children, John Thomas Jr. and wife Dana of Omaha, Neb., and Debbi Stone and husband Rick of Hutchinson; grandchildren, Danny Platts and wife Courtney, Kyle Thomas and wife Shannon, Lacey Stone-Tallman and husband Weston, Kadiy Thomas, and Layne Stone; great-grandchildren, Kamryn Thomas, Kenzie Thomas, and Jace Stone-Tallman; and family pets, Shiloh and Claire. John was preceded in death by his mother.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, Hutchinson, with the Reverend Amy Long presiding. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Burial Park, Hutchinson, with military honors conducted by the United States Air Force Honor Guard. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Elliott Mortuary. Memorial contributions may be made to Cancer Council of Reno County or Hutchinson Animal Shelter, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501. Visit www.elliottmortuary.com to leave a personal condolence for John's family.