Milton G. Thomas, Ph.D., age 58, of Weesatche, Texas passed away on Thursday the 15th of February 2024. Milton was born in Lubbock, TX to Charles G. and Ruby Peggram Thomas on the 23rd of December 1965.
He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Dora Vasquez Thomas; sons, Joshua Glen Thomas and wife Crystal of Firestone, Colorado, John Flores and wife Caitlin of Victoria; his father, Charles G. Thomas of Amarillo; sisters Donna Truitt of Tennessee, Julie Loudon of Australia and one precious grandchild, Kamille Grace Flores of Victoria.
Dr. Thomas earned a Bachelor of Science in 1988 in Animal Science and a Master of Science in 1990 in Dairy Science-Reproductive Physiology, both from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He also earned a Ph.D. in 1994 in Reproductive Physiology from Texas A&M University. After completing his Ph.D. degree Dr. Thomas completed his post-doctoral research at the University of Missouri and the University of Texas Institute of Biotechnology–Center for Molecular Medicine.
Dr. Thomas spent 15 years in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences at New Mexico State University, NMSU, serving as the Gerald Thomas Chair in Food Production and Natural Resources.
He joined Colorado State University, CSU, in December 2011 as a professor and John E. Rouse Chair of Beef Cattle Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Animal Sciences.
In 2022, Dr. Thomas returned to his alma mater at Texas A&M AgriLife beef cattle research program at the Beeville location. Working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and his colleague Jamie Foster, Ph.D., AgriLife Research forage agronomist in Beeville. The research program at the AgriLife research station in Beeville focused on beef systems – combining beef reproduction with extensive grassland and forage agronomy work to learn more about the grazing patterns of cattle in our South Texas sub-tropical conditions.
His research collaborations at NMSU and CSU took him to Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and Brazil before he returned to his Texas roots and moved to his family’s cattle ranch in Goliad County.
In addition to beef cattle improvement research, Dr. Thomas was most passionate about mentoring students and helping others accomplish their goals. He has been a research advisor and mentor for 2 Postdoc, 16 Ph.Ds., 16 M.S., and greater than 40 undergraduate students.
Dr. Thomas has published 116 Peer-Reviewed Journals, 2 textbook chapters, 236 abstracts, and countless other publications, reviews, and presentations.
A visitation will be held Friday the 1st of March 2024 from four o'clock to six o'clock in the evening at Rosewood Funeral Chapels, 3304 Mockingbird Lane, Victoria, TX with a rosary to be recited at six o'clock. A funeral mass is scheduled for Saturday the 2nd of March 2024 at nine o'clock in the morning at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 208 W. River Street, Victoria, TX.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840. Please designate the Dr. Milton Glen Thomas Memorial Scholarship in the memo line of the check. Online donations can also be made directly to this endowment at the following link: http://give.am/MiltonGlenThomasMemorialScholarship
Dr. Thomas will be greatly missed in the Animal Science community, but mostly by his family.
We invite you to take a few moments to share fond memories of Milton and words of comfort and condolence with his family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
