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John Rush Thomason, age 81, of Bismarck, was called home to be with his Lord Sunday, February 24, 2008. His passing is preceded by one brother and three sisters. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Dora (Dee) Thomason, his daughters, Melissa Crawford, Veronica Thomason, Gloria Thomason and Lisa Peyson and his sons, Eugene, Tommy, John Paul, and Joel Thomason. Additionally John is survived by grandsons Casimiro (Casey) and Daniel Crawford and Timothy Thomason and granddaughters Brianna, Cristina and Serena Thomason, Rachel and Hannah Crawford and Robin Butler and other grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Edith Lee and Jean Canselor, and three brothers, Herschel, Charles and Cecil Thomason.

A veteran of World War II, he was a member of the 24th Infantry Division, Headquarters, United States Army Special Forces and spent time stationed in the Philippine Islands, Southeast Asia and Japan. John attended Henderson State University and graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 1966. He worked for Reynolds Metal Co. (Gum Springs, AR), the Veteran s Administration (Austin, TX) as a computer programmer, and the Treasury Disbursement Center as an agent of the US Treasury Department.

In 1970 John was presented a plaque by the Board of Deacons of Southwest Baptist Church in Austin, TX which reads a teacher, a leader, a man of God . He and his wife attended Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends in the church and peers in the community.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at Welch Funeral Home in Arkadelphia with Rev. Doyle Caldwell and Brian Crawford officiating. Interment will be in DeRoche Cemetery. Family hours will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Tuesday at Welch Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Carlos Ramirez, Casimiro and Daniel Crawford, Joel Thomason, Randel Banks and Brian English. Honorary pallbearers will be Wayne and Meryle Ritter, Terry Allen, Coy Tims and Cecil Thomason.

In lieu of flowers, please send your monetary donations to Arkansas Hospice Foundation, 5600 West 12th Street, Little Rock, AR 72204 or the American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.

Visit www.welchfh.net to sign the online guest book.