Lawrence Von Thomas

Lawrence Von Thomas died peacefully on September 1, 2019 in Houston, TX at the age of 72. Lawrence is survived by his wife, Evie Thomas, and two sons, Matthew, his wife Stacey and their two children - Dylan and Layla; and Brian, his wife Shannon and their two children - Quinn and Jones. Lawrence was born on September 8, 1946 in Muskogee, OK to Tom and Viola Thomas. Lawrence was a high school star athlete in football and baseball. After graduation he joined the Army and served as a Green Beret Special Forces medic during the Vietnam War. Lawrence was awarded the Army Basic Parachutist Badge which qualified him to participate in airborne operations. He also earned the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal. After being honorably discharged, Lawrence went to law school to become an Attorney. It was during this time he met the love of his life, Evie. Evie and Lawrence were married August 17, 1975. Anybody that was lucky enough to have met Lawrence will always remember the way his deep, bellowing voice would say "Why Hello There!" followed by a stern handshake or a big hug. Lawrence had a way of meeting a complete stranger and making them a friend. To say he had a way with words would be an understatement, he always had a story or saying for every situation. He was a passionate story teller and always jumped at the opportunity to educate and share his experiences; this will be one of the many things we miss about him. His openness, kindness and generosity to others was Lawrence's most redeeming quality. Lawrence was an incredibly selfless man and always put others first. This was the most apparent in his love for his wife and kids. Lawrence wore many hats in his lifetime. He was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a lawyer, a medic, a philosopher and a baseball coach; however, out of all of these, he wore the husband and father with the most pride. He was his son's biggest fan. He loved coaching their Little League teams and went out of his way to attend every game. He remembered every strike thrown and game won. When he spoke about his sons his eyes would light up with joy; his family was his biggest accomplishment. He basically retired early to become a full-time coach and chauffeur for his sons and their teammates. He earned the name "Papa T"; as he was a second father to all of Matthew and Brian's friends as well. Lawrence lived a fulfilled life and dedicated the majority of it to others. Anyone who met Lawrence was truly the lucky one. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten. A graveside service is scheduled for Monday September 9, 2019 at 10:15am at the Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77038, with a reception to follow. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Lawrence's life.

Lawrence Von Thomas

September 8, 1946 - September 1, 2019