George Allen Thomas, 78, died on July 30, 2018. He was born in Midland on May 20, 1940, to the late Bennie Sue and James Louis Thomas. He graduated from Midland High School in 1958 and Texas Tech University in 1963. A lifelong Midlander, he had numerous successful business interests in the area. He was the president and treasurer of Specialty Sports, Inc., which operates Ski Skeller Sports, and he also managed mineral and property interests on behalf of his extended family.He had passions for filmmaking, jazz, and travel that he shared with friends and family members throughout his life. He was the first producer of Movieola features for the Midland Summer Mummers in the 1960s, which he continued for many years. He also served on the board of the Midland Community Theatre and organized their Classic Film Series, which became a successful fundraiser. His proudest accomplishment as a director was his remake of the classic Western High Noon, filmed on then-state-of-the-art 16mm film in Rimrock City near Odessa, and starring many of his friends from Midland, including Bobby Holt and Marty Conine in the lead roles. His interest in film also included its history, and by the end of his life he had watched most of the film noir canon.His love of jazz led him on pilgrimages to see many jazz greats in concert, especially Stan Kenton, whose band reunions he frequently traveled to California to attend. He also inculcated a love of jazz in his children through endless replay of classic jazz CDs on long car trips, which they now remember fondly even if they failed to appreciate it at the time. He loved to travel and tried to see as much of the world as he could, especially with his kids and his beloved late wife, Sandy, whom he married in 2010, and who predeceased him in 2016.George is survived by his daughter, Alexandra Thomas, and her husband, Christian Burset, of South Bend, IN; his son, Luke Thomas, and his fiancée, Joan Ferguson, of Houston; his brother, Tack Thomas, and his wife, Diane, of Tyler; and his sister, Dorothy Boykin, and her husband, Cue, of Austin. George’s survivors also include several nieces and nephews and their families—Elizabeth Beal of Dallas, Leslie Bryant of Fort Worth, Ellen Thomas of Canton, Jill Miller of Richardson, and Louis Thomas of Dallas—as well as many cousins and loyal friends.A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 4, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Midland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Midland Community Theatre or the Museum of the Southwest.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be offered at www.npwelch.com.,
