Dr. J. William "Bill" Thomas

East Lansing

Bill Thomas was born in Palmyra, Utah on March 25, 1918, the son of John B. and Kate Annie (Tolhurst) Thomas. He died October 15, 2014. Bill earned a BS at Utah State University in 1940 and from there he went to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin and Cornell University. Bill was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Chi Sigma. During WWII he worked at Northwestern University, involved in war-time defense chemical research. Bill returned to Cornell and received his PhD in 1946. He was employed by the USDA Dairy Research Center at Beltsville, Md. as a biochemist-animal husbandman from 1946 until 1960 when he came to the Dairy Department at Michigan State University. As a professor at MSU, Bill’s work was primarily research related to the nutrition, feeding and management of dairy cattle. He supervised the studies of numerous graduate students. Dr. Thomas had more than 250 publications in peer-reviewed journals and several hundred more than that in other printed forms. He presented research findings at annual Dairy Science Association meetings for sixty-five years. Bill received local and national awards in his field, the most notable being the Borden Award , the American Feed Manufacturer’s Award and the Superior Service Award from the USDA for outstanding research with dairy cattle. Before Bill retired he presented well-received Extension Service classes for farmers throughout the state of Michigan. He did consulting work in Russia, East Germany, Romania, China, Viet Nam, Mexico and Brazil. Bill is listed in American Men of Science and Who’s Who in America. He belonged to numerous professional organizations and was an Emeritus Professor at MSU. Bill was awarded the honor of being a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Dairy Science Association, the American Society of Animal Science and the American Society of Nutritional Sciences. Since his retirement he was involved in commercially sponsored field research. Bill enjoyed downhill skiing (which he did well into his 90s), gardening and photography.

On January 6, 1945, Bill married Carolyn Palmer, who survives him, and together they shared almost 70 loving years. Also surviving are their four children, Linda (John) Kuhlman of Lansing, MI, John P. (Sonya) Thomas, and former daughter-in-law, P.C. Moisan-Thomas, all of W. Lafayette, IN, Barbara (Hunt Riegel) Thomas of Glasgow, VA, and Christopher Thomas (Janette Leno) of Sheridan, WY. Bill will be long remembered by his grandchildren, Ashley Kuhlman Knowlton, Erin Mullen, Sarah Moisan-Thomas, and Thomas and J. R. Riegel. He felt privileged to know great-grandchildren, Alexander, Allison and Andrew Knowlton and Kaylee Mullen. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews in Utah, whom he cherished.

Bill lived in East Lansing for 54 years and was an active member of the Edgewood United Church of Christ. Bill was a kind, generous and thoughtful man who will be greatly missed by his loving family, friends and a multitude of former grad students.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at Edgewood United Church of Christ, 469 N. Hagadorn Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823. Bill will be buried amongst family in Spanish Fork, UT where he was raised on a dairy farm.

Contributions may be made in Bill’s memory to the J.W. and C.P. Thomas Enrichment Scholarship Fund at Michigan State University, Dept. of Animal Science, Anthony Hall, 474 S. Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824.

Bill’s family expresses heartfelt gratitude to the nurturing staff of Burcham Hills Retirement Community and to the compassionate nurses of the Neuro ICU at Sparrow Hospital, for their loving care of Dad.

The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Lansing. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.greastlansing.com.