Gary Thomas Grogan

Gary Thomas Grogan, 73, passed away on Friday, March 16, 2012, in Lihue, Hawaii. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M – 7:00 P.M., Friday, March 23, 2012, at Johnson’s Funeral Home. The memorial service will be at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 24, 2012, at the First Christian Church in San Angelo with the Reverend Ben G. Hubert officiating. A reception will follow the service at the church.

Gary was born in Lipan, Texas, to Gaston and Jewel Peters Grogan. He grew up in Lipan. After graduating from high school, he received his A.S. in agriculture from Tarleton State University. He received a B.S. in agriculture from Texas Tech University, where he continued work on a graduate degree. While at Tech, he met and married Frances Terrell, his wife of 49 years.

During his college years, Gary worked as a student trainee for the USDA Soil Conservation Service (now the National Resource Conservation Service). He continued in a career of over forty years with the NRCS. He worked in Stephenville, Eden, Rising Star, Spur, Carrizo Springs, and San Angelo, Texas. Following his retirement from the SCS, he continued to serve for ten years by working part time for the Tom Green Soil and Water Conservation District. He loved the land and used his knowledge and devotion to make the farming and ranching community a better place than he had found it.

Gary served in the Army Reserve for 28 years as the agricultural officer for the 321 st Civil Affairs Unit at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Gary also made significant contributions to each community in which he lived. He worked with the Native Plant Society, the Range Management Society, the Soil Conservation Society, the San Angelo Stock Show Association, and various youth groups. He was on the founding board of the San Angelo Nature Center. He served in various capacities for the Wildlife Alliance for Youth to help young adults grow in their love and knowledge of agricultural pursuits. Gary was passionate in supporting his daughters, his grand children and their friends in all their various sports and activities. There are several friends of his daughters that he considered to be his “second” daughters and whom he treated as if they were his own.

Gary is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Frances Grogan of San Angelo, and two daughters and their families: Michelle Snuggs and her husband Johnny and daughters Mackenzie and Ashley of San Angelo; and Nicole Wheeler and her husband Craig and their two sons Jordan and Ryan of Dallas. He is also survived by special friends Steve and Leslie Wilkinson of Austin and a host of other loving friends. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the doctors and staff at Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihue, Hawaii, for their incredibly compassionate care during their time of need.

Honorary pallbearers for the service will be Fred Coburn, Ron Crumley, Ken Foerster, Clayton Friend, John Schwartz, and Hugh L. Stone III.

In lieu of flowers, Gary’s family asks that donations be made to the Gary Grogan Agriculture Scholarship via the Angelo State University Foundation, ASU Station 11023, San Angelo, Tx 76909.

Family and friends may sign an online register book at www.johnsons-funeralhome.com.