William Thomas DeButts

Friday, May 19, 2017 at Baylor, Scott, and White Hospital in Dallas.

Tom leaves behind a large family who will miss him dearly. We honor

his memory as a loving husband to wife of 37 years to Margaret “Peggy”

DeButts; devoted father to twin daughters Marilyn Vega and Deborah

Bowman and their spouses, Christian Vega and Donald Bowman

respectively; son, William DeButts and his wife, Rachelle DeButts;

daughter Rebecca DeButts and her husband, Don Covington; fun

Grandfather to Christian and Ethan Vega and Anthony DeButts, beloved son of Martha DeButts; and attentive brother to Molly Eisenhower and her husband, Allan Eisenhower. He is survived by his best friend of many years, Terry Baker as well as many other friends whose lives he touched with his humor and good nature.

After graduating from Hillcrest High School in 1970, Tom served his country in the United States Marine Corp. Reserves. While in the Marines, Tom worked in Paris Island, Miramar Marine Corp Air Station, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, and Marine Corp Quantico Base. He left the Marine Corp in 1977 after graduating from the University of Dallas with a B.S. in Mathematics that same year. He married Margaret DeButts (nee Bossman) in 1980; they welcomed twin daughters Marilyn and Deborah that year, followed by the arrival of their son, William in 1983 and daughter, Rebecca in 1990.

After college, Tom worked with his father, William Edward DeButts at TAVCO Trucking until he began working for the Dallas Sheriff’s Department in 1994. Friends of Tom remember that he loved aircrafts and even earned his pilot’s license, later flying a Cessna 172. Tom was a loving, passionate man who loved animals, books, and seeing new places; he was known by stray dogs in his neighborhood for giving out treats and attention. He enjoyed seeing the United States as a driver for Stephen’s Transport from 2011 to 2016, and was promoted in January of 2017 to the Safety Department.

Tom will be missed dearly by his family and friends.

"They who hope in the Lord will renew their strength,

They will soar on Eagle's Wings…”