Howard Glen Thomas

Howard Glen Thomas, 79 went to be with his Lord and Savior on March 8, 2016. He was born in Quanah, TX on April 12, 1936, the fifth of eight children born to RT and Annie Routh (Akers) Thomas. Howard attended Amarillo High School in Amarillo, TX and was a member of the Church of Christ. He started in the vacuum and sewing machine industry in 1955, working as a sales representative for the Singer Sewing Machine Company canvassing door to door selling sewing machines, sewing products and vacuum cleaners. He stayed with the Singer Company for over 25 years. During his tenure he worked his way into Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Training Manager and ultimately Manager of the Management Development Center where he was responsible for development of sales and training programs to be used by 960 company stores and 1500 dealers. While a visionary in the field of sales and management with the Singer Company, Howard received multiple awards and designations including Salesman of the Year, Top Team Leader and Top Performer. He became known for his rendition of “Everything is Beautiful” at the start of most, if not all, of his training sessions. In 1980, Howard opened his first sewing and vacuum dealership in Dallas, TX. With the success of this dealership, he opened additional dealerships in Texas, owning four at one point in his career. He currently owned Thomas Sewing Center in Mesquite, TX, which has been doing business in the Mesquite area for 30 years. His dealership has been awarded Top Ten Sales for Janome America for 19 years running. The store has participated in the Texas State Fair for over 30 years where thousands of people have been introduced to the art and creativity of sewing and quilting for the first time. Howard has been instrumental in the training and development of many Home Economics Teachers in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. There are many individuals in the community, and in and out of the sewing industry that have learned winning sales techniques from Howard. Countless employees and family members have worked for Thomas Sewing Center over the years, providing a healthy living for their families. Howard and his wife, Dona, always put family, employees and customers first. If you had ever met, trained with or worked with Howard, you would know his motto, “Demonstrate often, demonstrate well, that is the key to a successful sale!”….and if you were lucky, you might have caught a verse of “Everything is Beautiful”. Preceding him in death are his parents: RT and Annie Thomas, grandson Seth Thomas, Sister Mildred Ann Thomas and Brother Donald Thomas. Howard’s greatest pleasure in life was his family. He was a kind hearted man that will forever be in the hearts of those left to cherish his memory: his wife of almost 60 years, Dona (Deere) Thomas; children: Tonya Turner and husband, Chuck of Emory, TX; Randy G. Thomas and wife, Sheryl of Middletown, NY; Dana Dennis and husband, Kevin of Combine, TX; grandchildren: Khinda (Moore) Kent and husband, Todd of Emory, TX; Brandon Moore and wife, Kristin of Lavon, TX; Alicia (Turner) Drotleff and husband, Chad of Spartanburg, SC; Jacob C. Thomas of Columbia, MO; Meredith (Thomas) Sherwin and husband, James of Clay, NY; Sydney Thomas of Columbia, MO; Shelby Thomas of Los Angeles, CA; Gabriel Thomas of Middletown, NY; Alexandra “Ali” (Dennis) De La Rosa and husband, David of Grapevine, TX and Kylie Dennis of Combine, TX; great-grandchildren: Oscar Kent, Katie Kent, Blaine Moore, Tyler Drotleff and Jameson Drotleff; siblings: Leroy Thomas of Portales, NM; Routh “Tiny” Jordan of Amarillo, TX; Maxine Spiker of Amarillo, TX; Janet Pancake of Amarillo, TX and Karen Smitherman of Lubbock, TX.