April 27, 1937 – February 20, 2022
Martha “Janice” Thomas of Bryan Texas died peacefully at her home on Sunday February 20th surrounded by her family. She was 84, a lifelong Texan and a beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend.
Janice was born in 1937 to Jack and Dorothy Davis in Greer County, Oklahoma. She and her husband John both attended Wellington High School in Wellington, Texas. Her passion for education was nurtured by her parents, both of whom were teachers, and education was a cornerstone of her life. Janice received her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Texas, becoming the third generation of women in her family to graduate from college. After college, Janice married John and moved to Bryan, where she lived most of her life. Janice and John were longtime members of the A&M United Methodist Church.
Janice worked at Texas A&M in the Department of Soil and Plant Sciences, testing under Dr. Jack Price for pesticide residues, later took a break to raise her children and then worked with her friend Bobbi at Bobbi’s Bookstore in Bryan for many years. After retirement, she and John held many volunteer positions, hosted international groups for the Agriculture International Program, and spent many hours supporting the Texas Beekeepers Association and staffing the booth for TBA, where she met many dear and lifelong friends. She and John moved to Arbor Oaks in 2014, where she cared for him until his death in 2020.
Her parents instilled in her a love of travel and she has traveled extensively, taking many trips across the United States and around the world, including a trip to Europe in 2021. She passed this curiosity and love of travel on to her children and grandchildren. Janice also has a special place in her heart for education and encourages everyone she has met to learn and enrich their lives. She always encouraged others to continue their education and supported the education of several family members and friends through private donations and through the fund she established.
Janice was always devoted to family. Her lesson by example was always “Family is more than someone related by blood” and she loved her entire blended and extended family very much. She has taught her children so much about love, family, grace and joy, about being present and caring about others first. Always ready and willing to travel to help family, she has made many trips to help with her grandchildren when needed. Through her example, she instilled in her children compassion and respect for others, regardless of their background, politics, or background. This love also extended to many lifelong friends who will miss her warmth and smiles.
Janice precedes her son Wesley M. Thomas and her husband John G. Thomas in death. She leaves behind many loving family members, daughters, sons-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, great-nieces and grand-nephews and many dear friends. Thank you to the many family members including her grandchildren who made her last few months wonderful by visiting and helping with her care and to so many wonderful carers. A small family service will be held in Arbor Oaks on Friday, March 4, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. The live stream service via the Callaway-Jones Facebook page will begin at 2:55 p.m. and at a later time, to be followed by a life celebration service for Janice and John, expected in late spring/early summer.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that memorials be included in the Janice Thomas Student Assistance Fund, which is used to provide emergency assistance to students at Texas A&M University’s College of Education and Human Development. Donations can be sent to the Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840. Please make checks payable to Texas A&M Foundation and list gifts “In Memory of Janice Thomas” on the note line. Gifts can also be made online by visiting https://www.txamfoundation.com/ and click the “Give Now” button at the top of the page. Please select “The General Memorial” in the “Select a Unit or College” box and then indicate that the gift is in memory of Janice Thomas. Alternatively, donations can be made to a preferred charity.
express condolences to CallawayJones.com
Published by The Bryan-College Station Eagle on February 27, 2022.
