COL Jose' R. Thomas-Richards D.O., Ret.

Jose’ Rodolfo Thomas-Richards was born in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela, South America. He was a graduate of Caribbean Union College in 1962, Kingsway College Canada in 1964, Andrews University in 1966, and graduated in 1970 with a Degree in Osteopathic Medicine at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and received the inaugural Star-Spangled Award. He was the recipient of the Mead Johnson award in 1973, followed by the completion of an Orthopaedic residency at the University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Medicine in 1977. He also had a fellowship in Hand Surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1978.

He was a solo practitioner in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1978 to 1994, and continued his solo practice in Florida until retiring from practice in 2012. He had been Chief of the Department of Surgery at Highlands Regional Medical Center, Sebring, FL, from 2005 to 2008. He was also appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles of Florida to the Florida Department of Health and Human Services Board and to the Citizen Advisory Council of Health and Human Services by the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners.

He was a member of the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgery, American Board of Hand Surgery, American Board of Forensic Examiners, Fellow of the International College of Surgeons in Orthopaedic and Hand Surgery, and Senior Disability Analyst and Diplomat for the American Board of Disability. He is a Graduate of the Command and General Staff College and a member of the Alumni Association of the Command and General Staff College.

In 2003, Colonel Jose’ R. Thomas-Richards received the Bronze Star for his military activities while serving as an Active Duty Commander of the 948th Forward Surgical Team, aka “Devil Doc’s” in Kandahar and Kabul, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom, and was the first United States contact with health care personnel at Mir-Wais Hospital.

In 2004, he was the recipient of a Tribute recognizing and commending him for dedicated service as a physician, community leader, and military officer, presented by Representative Denise Grimsley, District 77, of the Florida House of Representatives.

He was the recipient of the Presidential recognition/citation on February 4, 2005, from President George W. Bush; Inaugural recipient of the Star-Spangled Banner Medallion Award of the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

He was also awarded the Legion of Merit (8th medal below the Medal of Honor), which was formally presented to him by the 325th Combat Support Hospital in Independence, MO, in June 2010.

On April 20, 2018, he was the Physician recipient of the “2018 Heroes in Medicine” award, presented by the Palm Beach County Medical Society, honoring local individuals/organizations who provide extraordinary services that address or have responded to health care needs in the county, the nation, or around the world.

He is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 10132), Reserve Officers Association (Harry S. Truman Chapter 1), and the Society of Military and Orthopaedic Surgeons of the United States.

Of his 26 years of military service, 24 years were spent in the position of Commander, and the last 2 years as Senior Advisor to the United States Army Reserve Medical Corps, for which he received the Meritorious Service Medal in 2002. He retired from the Army in 2008. In 2014 and 2017, he received a letter of appreciation from President Barack Obama for his military service.

He was the First Vice President and Life Member of the NAACP; Recipient of the NAACP Humanitarian Award of Kansas City, Missouri, and Highlands County, Florida branches; as well as the Humanitarian Award of Operation Push of Kansas City. He was the Co-chairperson of the 75th NAACP General Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. He previously served as Chairman and Vice Chairman on the Board of Directors of The Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach County.

He returned home to the Kansas City area in 2025 after residing in Jupiter, FL, for 31 years. He was a member of the Jupiter Seventh-Day Adventist Church, serving as Elder, Director of the Men’s Ministry, Risk Management & Safety Officer, Medical Ministry Director, and Member at Large for the Florida SDA Conference. He also supported his Alma Mater, the University of Southern Caribbean (Trinidad), and the North American Chapter of USC.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Suzanne Irene Thomas, son, Jose’ Romero Marcano Thomas (Paola), and grandsons Gabriel & Nathaniel; son, Raoul Rodolfo Thomas (Nicole), and former wife, Lynette Hinds-Thomas; sister, Henrietta Brumble (Anthony), in addition to loving nieces, nephews, friends, colleagues and military service members within the USA, Trinidad, and Venezuela.

He is preceded entering into Glory by his mother, May Thomas-Grant; father, Jose’ Marcano Ritcher; brothers, Samuel Thomas, Carlos Thomas, Robert Ritcher; aunt, Luisa Daniels; godmother, Sylvia Belfon; Stepmothers, Leonie Marcano and Monica Pascal.