Robert Hyer Thomas

Robert Hyer Thomas, attorney, civic leader and past President of the Dallas Bar Association, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 9, 2020, surrounded by his loving family. Thomas was a third-generation Dallas lawyer, following his grandfather, State Senator H. Bascom Thomas, Sr. and his father, H. Bascom Thomas, Jr. His other grandfather was Robert Stewart Hyer, a founder and the first President of Southern Methodist University (SMU).

Robert Thomas, known as Bob, was born in Dallas on June 19, 1931, to Margaret Hyer Thomas and Bascom Thomas, Jr. A graduate of Highland Park High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree, with high honors, from SMU in 1953, and his law degree from the SMU School of Law in 1957.

During the Korean War, Bob served in the U.S. Navy in the Far East as legal officer aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Wasp. After his active duty, Bob spent over 20 years in the Naval Reserve, retiring with the rank of Commander.

At SMU, Bob was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, and the Student Senate representing the Law School. While serving on the Student Senate, he met Gail Griffin of McKinney, and they were married in 1957.

After practicing law with his father for two years, Bob joined the law firm of Strasburger & Price, where he enjoyed a career spanning more than 55 years. Bob was interested in all areas of the law and prided himself on being a general practitioner, handling matters from real estate to estate planning to litigation. For 23 years Bob served as the trial attorney for the Dallas Independent School District in the Federal Court desegregation case. He took great pride in working with the court, the school board, business leaders, community stakeholders and parents to help create educational opportunities for all Dallas schoolchildren.

Throughout his career, Bob held numerous leadership positions within the legal profession. He served as President of the Dallas Bar Association, the Dallas Junior Bar Association, and the Dallas Bar Foundation; Director, State Bar of Texas; Chair, Texas Board of Legal Specialization; and Member of House of Delegates of the American Bar Association. He was awarded Dallas Bar Foundation Fellow of the Year (1999), the Justinian Award from the Dallas Lawyers Auxiliary (2002) and Dallas Bar Association Trial Lawyer of the Year (2007). In 2007, Bob received the 50-Year Outstanding Lawyer Award from the Texas Bar Foundation and was also named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Dallas Bar Association. During the period of his leadership in the Dallas Bar Association, and largely due to his efforts, the Bar acquired the Belo Mansion on Ross Avenue, which became the Dallas Bar headquarters. His leadership of this effort earned him the nickname, ‘The Belo Hero.’ During his presidency, the Dallas Bar was named the Outstanding Bar Association in Texas and Outstanding City Bar Association in the United States.

Continuing his family’s long commitment to SMU, Bob served on the SMU Board of Trustees, President of the SMU Alumni Association, and member of the SMU Law School Board of Visitors. In 1983, Bob and his mother, Margaret Hyer Thomas, established the Robert Stewart Hyer Society at SMU to recognize SMU’s most intellectually gifted undergraduate students. In 1988, Bob (along with his wife Gail) was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni of SMU and was named a Distinguished Alumni of the SMU School of Law in 1996.

Among his many civic activities, Bob served as Chairman and President of the Dallas Historical Society, Chairman of the Board of The Parkland Foundation, Board of the State Bar of Texas, and co-founder and second Commodore of Rush Creek Yacht Club, where he chaired the 1979 Lightning World Championship Regatta.

He was an active member of Boy Scout Troop 82 and claimed that much of his success in life could be attributed to what he learned as an Eagle Scout. He was proud that his son and all four of his grandsons are also Eagle Scouts from Troop 82.

On weekends, Bob and Gail and their family enjoyed spending time at Windhover, their retreat in East Texas, where Bob was a certified Texas tree farmer.

Thomas is survived by his wife of 62 years, Gail Griffin Thomas, and their three children, Tori Thomas Mannes and husband Joe, Stewart Hyer Thomas and wife Michelle, and Electra Thomas Harelson and husband Jeff. Additionally, Bob is survived by ten grandchildren and one great-grand daughter: Sarah Margaret Mannes, Rachel Griffin Mannes Florez and husband Luis, Mary Hyer (“Molly”) Mannes, Thomas Richard Harelson, wife Kendall and their daughter Audrey, Daniel Jeffrey Harelson, Dorothy Connor Thomas, Margaret Hearne (“Maggie”) Thomas, Electra Gail Thomas, Frank Austin Thomas, and Robert Hyer Thomas, II. He is also survived by his sister, Gretta Thomas of Albuquerque, NM, his brother-in-law James Isaac Griffin Jr. and wife Mickey of Menlo Park, CA, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, February 13, 2020, at 2:00 pm, at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 8011 Douglas Ave., Dallas, TX 75225, followed by a reception at The Belo Mansion, 2101 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75201. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Robert Stewart Hyer Society at SMU, c/o Office of Development, PO Box 750402, Dallas, TX 75275-0402.