Harold "Hal" Dwayne Thomason

Harold “Hal” Dwayne Thomason, age 88, of Scottsbluff, NE, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 2nd with his wife and children by his side. Cremation has taken place and a private inurnment will be held at a later date at the Lake View Cemetery in Cheyenne, WY. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com. Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.

Hal was born on May 5, 1936 in Cheyenne, WY to Alpha (Fullner) and Troy Thomason. He grew up in Evanston, WY where he proved himself to be a super student and a standout athlete. After graduating high school in 1954, he attended Utah State University in Logan, UT on a baseball scholarship. He graduated from USU in 1958 with a degree in pre-med. He moved to Chicago, IL to attend medical school at Northwestern University. He graduated medical school on June 16, 1962, and married his sweetheart, Irene Ellen Paulson on June 17th. To this union three children were born, Marilyn, Robert “Bob” and William “Bill”.

In July of 1962, Hal accepted an internship and a four-year General Surgery Residency at the Northwestern University Hospital in Evanston, IL.

In July of 1967, Hal was drafted as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy serving 1 year at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Waukegan, IL. Then in July of 1968, he was sent to the Guam Naval Hospital providing surgical care for the casualties of the Vietnam War. Hal was awarded the National Defense Service Medal for his outstanding service.

In September of 1969, Irene and Hal moved to Lander, WY where they raised their three children. Hal joined the Lander Medical Clinic and practiced surgery until his retirement in 1998.

In 2006, Irene and Hal moved, making Scottsbluff, NE their home for the last 18 years.

Hal served 12 years on the Wyoming Board of Medicine. He was president of the Wyoming-Montana Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. Hal also spent 6 years on the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons. Yet through it all, in retirement Hal always said his most “gratifying” service was his 8 years on the Board of Governors of the Shrine Hospital for Children at the Intermountain Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT.

Hal was a lifelong member of the A.F. and A.M. Lodge 4 of Evanston, WY, the Royal Arch Masons and the Knight Templar of Lander, WY, and the Korean Shrine of Rawlins, WY. He was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Scottsbluff, NE.

Hal will be dearly missed by his wife, Irene of 62 years, his daughter Marilyn (Jeff) Dekker of Superior, CO, and children Emma, Ian (Nikki) and Kevin. His son Robert (Vicky) Thomason of Gering, NE, and his son William (Heni) Thomason of Springs, TX and children Lauren, Ryan, Matthew and Kaitlyn.