Houston L. Thomson Obit

Funeral services for Houston L. Thomson will be held on Wednesday, September 7, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. in the First Baptist church of Hugo, OK, with Steve Harbison and Pastor Doug McClure officiating and burial following in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Houston passed away on Monday, September 5, 2011, at the age of 82. Houston was born April 3, 1929, in Spearman, Texas, to Emmett and Bertha Lee (Clark) Thomson, but moved to Hugo, with his mother and siblings, as a small child. He left home and began his adventure by running away with the circus where he worked with the elephants for a year. He joined the army at a very young age and served proudly in Japan and Germany in WWII and later in Korea. After his active duty, he moved to Dallas, Texas where he met and married Ruth Beavers on January 9, 1953. He continued his service in Texas Army National Guard for over 20 years. During that time he attended numerous specialty training courses and eventually retired as a Major after being recalled to active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He worked as a street car and bus driver and for the Post Office as a letter carrier in Dallas, TX. While in Dallas he also owned and operated "Trails End Stables," where he trained and boarded horses for the public. After his retirement, he moved back to Hugo in 1972 to begin his life as a ‘gentleman rancher’ raising horses and cattle. He was a member of the 4th and Jackson Church of Christ. Houston was active in the community where he served on various political committees and was a Democratic State Delegate. He also served on various boards and committees in town, including the Fair Board, Ambulance Authority, COOP, and Junior Livestock board and worked with the Grant Water Authority. He was a member of the Hugo Masonic Lodge and was a 32nd degree mason. In his spare time he loved hunting, trout fishing, and watching major boxing venues with his cousins, Clark Self and Dickey Self. He was preceded in death by his son, Houston Eugene Thomson in 1999, two brothers, Gene Thomson and Calvin Thomson and one sister, Julia Welch. Houston is survived by his wife Ruth Thomson of the home; children include his daughter Pati and husband Joe Shaw of Idabel, and Elizabeth and husband Ron McCarter of Midlothian, TX; grandchildren include Jeff McCarter and wife Rhonda of Hugo, OK, Alyssa Thomson of McAlester, OK, Leandra Cross of Hugo, OK; great-grandchildren include Olivia and Payne McCarter of Hugo, OK; numerous nieces and nephews, special friends, and extended family members. Houston loved to help and advise people, and formed deep friendships with many folks, including Arnold Crane.