David Gary Thomas, O.D., passed peacefully on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in Denison, Texas, surrounded by family and close friends.

Born on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1946, in Mexia, Texas, to E. R. (Ras) and Elta Rea Thomas, both career teachers and employees of Forney ISD from the late 1950s thru the 1980s.  Gary attended Forney schools from 1958 through 1965 and graduated with honors taking the Science and Social Studies Awards.  While a sophomore, Gary earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1963 in BSA Troop 339, and he represented Forney's American Legion Post at Texas Boys' State his Junior Year.  Gary played football for the Forney Jackrabbits and earned Honorable-Mention All District as a Junior, All District Tackle as a Senior and was the Defensive Player of the Year and Co-Captain in 1964.  Gary was inducted into the Forney Ex-Students' Association Hall of Honor as a Distinguished Alumni in October 2008.

Gary attended Tyler Junior College after high school receiving an Associates in Arts degree. On April 22, 1967, he married Linda Sue Parsons (also a Forney graduate).  They moved to Houston for him to attend the University of Houston to study optometry.  His athletic interest turned to Tae Kwon Do.  He achieved his black belt and co-managed the Houston Black Belt Academy of Karate.

His interest in optometry began at an early age (15) when he was employed as an optometric assistant to Dr. Robert E. Day in Garland.  In this position, he had the opportunity to work with children with visual perception inadequacies so his education and focus concentrated on preventative and rehabilitative vision care in children.

Gary graduated from the University of Houston in 1971 concurrently with a B. S. degree in Psychology and a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree.  He began his optometric practice by joining partnership with Dr. Day and became quite involved civically and politically in Garland and Dallas working on the Texas Legislature, U.S. Congress and mayoral political campaigns.  He was very active as a local and state officer in the Texas Jaycees, serving as Chairman of the President's Cabinet in 1976.

In 1974, Dr. Thomas opened a second office in North Dallas closer to the schools he served and in 1976 left his partnership in Garland to devote full-time attention to his rapidly growing Dallas practice.  He became board certified in pediatric and development optometry by the International College of Optometrists in Vision Development and served as its President in 1984-85.  He also served as all the officer chairs of the North Texas Optometric Society as well as many state and national committee chairmanships. In addition, he achieved two additional board certifications -- Therapeutic Optometry in 1990 and Glaucoma Specialty in 2004.

Gary's civic involvement included drug counseling for Garland Truth House; Chairman of the Texas Jaycees Muscular Dystrophy (appearing on the Jerry Lewis' Telethon in Las Vegas); Northlake College Advisory Committee and a lecturer and consultant to public and private schools on learning-related vision problems.  Dr. Thomas donated professional time and service providing free vision screenings to schools, civic organizations, and private groups.

Gary was recognized in 2007 by the Texas and American Optometric Associations for 40 years of continuous service.  His most prestigious award came in 1977 when named by the Texas Jaycees as one of Five Outstanding Young Texans along with Dr. Phil Gramm (who became a U. S. Senator) and Lloyd Doggett (who became a State Supreme Court Justice and U. S. Congressman).

Dr. Thomas semi-retired in 1990 to part-time practice in Kaufman County and Duncanville to assist in the care of his parents in their final years and resided in Forney from 1995 to 1999.  Upon their deaths, he moved to Lake Texoma (Pottsboro) and returned to full time optometric practice in Grayson and Lamar counties.

Gary is preceded in death by his father, E. R. (Ras) Thomas, mother, Elta Rea Thomas, and his former wives Linda Parsons and Jacquelyn Letts.  He is survived by his sister, Teresa Thomas Moore and her husband Brent; his niece Krista Moore; his nephew Brandon Moore and wife Carley and their two children Adeline and Emelia; all of Fort Worth; and his adopted family, Nita and Kenny Meehan and son, Nathan Drevicky, of Rowlett, Texas.

A gathering to honor and celebrate Gary will be announced in the near future.