Tribute to Gary
Thomas
April 21, 2016
St. Thomas
Episcopal Church
Monroe,
Louisiana
I
have been asked to give some reflections about Gary. But it seems, as a
preacher, that I have a hard time not making at least a small reference to Holy
Scripture, especially since this so fits to Gary.
The
Gospel text, which was just proclaimed this morning, is a text that is usually
interpreted as a form of what theologians call “personal eschatology”, that is about
what happens to us as we enter the next life. “In my Father’s house there are
many dwelling places”; Jesus secures for us a place in the life to come. This
is true and of great comfort.
Yet,
in the case of Gary, I think another interpretation of this text is possible,
namely what theologians call “realized eschatology”; future events that are
realized in this life. Because Gary experienced in this life, that in the
Father’s house there are many dwelling places that he has prepared for us.
In
the almost thirty years that I have known Gary, he has lived in innumerable
dwelling places. One can go to any major town in Louisiana, and some in
surrounding states, and say “I remember when Gary Thomas lived here.” And that
is quite remarkable. Yet, in line with Jesus’s saying in this text, in each of
these places he found that God had prepared a place for him. Much of this was
related to his work as a Land Man and the inherently peripatetic nature of that
kind of work, especially in the boom and bust cycles of the oil and gas
industry in our region. Another factor was his willingness to move and his calling
as a servant of Christ. Although his work was very important and largely
enjoyable to him, his primary work was a servant of our Lord – however that
might manifest itself at a given point in time.
In
his movement among the “many dwelling places”, to which he was led over the
years, several anchors were always in place.
·
Gary was always a loyal son of Webster Parish. His parental home in
Serepta was always and continued to be an anchor in his life. Gary was always
available for any family member in need, and especially for his mother Eileen,
for his late father, and his sisters, Pat and Jennifer. His brother-in-law Eli
was especially close to his heart as they both suffered debilitating illnesses
at the same time.
·
A second anchor was the Episcopal Church. He had always cherished his
Baptist upbringing, but loved the Episcopal Church which he found as a student
at Louisiana Tech. Wherever he was, whatever town or city he was in, he immediately
connected with the local parish and soon participated in various aspects of
parish life, especially outreach and music. His singing talents and many
contacts made it possible for him to an honorary member of church choirs
throughout Louisiana and the surrounding states. He usually had his choir vestment on hand to
participate. Many people in here this church this morning can testify to
legendary encounters with Gary Thomas in remote places around the State where
one happens to be innocently attending church and suddenly Gary Thomas is
processing down the aisle with the choir, as if he’d always lived there. He was
in fact everywhere. I was talking the other day to my friend Fr. Stephen Craft
in New Orleans about Gary,and these serendipitous encounters. Stephen quoted
the famous line by John Wesley who said, “The world is my parish”. That
certainly applied to Gary. He certainly valued his various parish memberships
over the years, but was active in innumerable parishes.
·
There were some other anchors over the years, Shreveport where he lived
for many years, his years there with Theresa and stepson Chris and the many
friends there, his active theater life there; and Lafayette where he sojourned
for a time. St. Francisville where he dabbled in the Bed and Breakfast business
for a time. And of course, his dear New Orleans, where he lived and worked for
a time, but which came to be close to his heart in a way only New Orleans can.
His long affiliation with Grace Church on Canal Street was one of the many
places where his biography crossed mine. He was the one who submitted my name
to the parish for rector 13 years ago. In his long association with New Orleans,
he continued to work tirelessly both there and wherever he was for the
rebuilding of the city after flood devastation following Hurricane Katrina in
the years after 2005, and hosting evacuees in his home.
·
His time of “hanging around” at St. Thomas and in Monroe in 2003, as I
was preparing to move to New Orleans, was the beginning of a new chapter for
Gary as he met his beloved Susan here at St. Thomas for the first time, and was
immediately smitten. We all know where that led.
·
And so, his final anchor in the last almost decade and a half was Monroe
and his life with his beloved wife Susan. It was such a privilege to be
involved in their wedding. Many chapters can be related to his family life with
his parents in-law, his two brothers-in-law and their wives, his stepchildren Joey,
Stanly, and Frances and their spouses and his step-grandchildren, whom he loved
so very much.
·
This immense support system and network of family, church, coworkers,
and the wider community was in action throughout Gary’s illness. The people of
St. Thomas and the example of the Rev. Dawnell Stodghill is a remarkable
testimony to the love of Christ in action. Gary’s courage in the face of a deadly
disease and the witness of his Christian faith is and will continue to be an
inspiration to all.
·
Gary had various anchors over the years; but he was an anchor to very
many.
In
this regard, another scriptural allusion comes to mind, which I think was written
with Gary in mind: namely Matthew 25 and its enumeration of the “corporal works
of mercy”: visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner, feeding the hungry and
thirsty, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger.
I was
going through my emails with Gary over the last fifteen years (yes I have all
my emails from the last 15 years), and the majority of them have to do with
these acts of mercy. Gary would drive across two states if a friend was sick
and visit them and minister to them. He would attend funerals of countless
people to comfort the family and pray for the soul of the departed one. He
would drive desolate highways to visit and minister to prisoners in Angola each
month, he organized countless outreach programs to people in need. He even
lived at the Well (a homeless shelter in Lafayette) for a time and ministered
there. Most famously perhaps, he organized the Deacons in the Dust program with
Deacon Ormonde Plater in New Orleans after Katrina.
One
of the first times I worked with Gary was in Shreveport in 1989 when St. Mark’s
Church (as the cathedral was then called) celebrated its 150th
anniversary. It was an extensive celebration, which extended for several months,
and culminated on Palm Sunday, the day of the first Christian service held in
Shreveport at the riverfront on Palm Sunday 1839. It was held by Bishop
Leonidas Polk (the fighting Bishop). On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, the
late Robert Lightsey who was a theater person in Shreveport and later a Deacon,
wrote and produced a reenactment play of the first service at the riverfront
location, where the service took place. Some ruffians were there at the time of
Bishop Polk’s arrival, who wanted to break up the service, but some of Bishop
Polk’s shipmates prevailed and the service happen and became the beginning of
St. Mark’s Church in Shreveport. Gary was one of the principle actors in the
performance. As I recall, he was the one who established order so that divine
worship could be conducted with dignity and decorum. This was a role he would
perform in real life, over and over again.
As
much as he loved to act, or perform musically from his days in the Louisiana
Tech band to his participation in countless choirs and as a cantor in various
churches, something that he was a very good at and enjoyed – he preferred and
lived in real life. Gary hated hypocrisy, or hierarchical pretentions.
Sometimes his reactions to these were visceral, but most always justified. For
Gary his life and faith weren’t an act. It was the real thing. He was the real
deal. Gary was a true Christian.
In my
Father’s house there are many dwelling places…. Gary experienced and blessed
many dwelling places over the years. In each he found that Jesus had prepared a
place for him. Now he finds that again. Jesus has gone and prepared a place for
him, and has come and taken him there.
I
join a great throng who will miss Gary very much. Thank you Gary for your
presence among us.
