Thomas Walter Mcmullan

Tommy McMullan, 83, passed away Tuesday morning, May 26, 2015, at his daughter’s home in Dayton. Services for Mr. McMullan will be at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, May 28, 2015, at the Devers ISD Gym with interment to follow at Stacy Cemetery in Devers. Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday evening at First Baptist Church in Devers. Arrangements are under the direction of Pace-Stancil Funeral Home, Dayton, Texas. He was born February 27, 1932, to Joe and Althea McMullan in Liberty, Texas. He graduated from Devers Schools in 1949. Tommy married the love of his life, Ruth Willis McMullan in 1951. Tommy began his career in the rice industry working alongside his father. He also worked on J.M. and Alex Waugh’s farm for a total of three years. Tommy spent the majority of his farming career on the Keenan land, where he farmed on halves with them until 2004. He continued to bale hay and run cattle for the remainder of his years. Tommy was blessed with three daughters. From the time they were old enough to operate a tractor, Tommy had them in the rice fields. He would brag that they could do anything and everything a boy could do on the farms, and they loved it just as much as he did. Mr. McMullan served on the Liberty County Farm Bureau Board, the Devers Drainage District No. 4, the Liberty-Hardin County Farm Service Agency Board, the Texas Rice Producer Board (TRPB), the Texas Rice Research Foundation Board (TRRF), and the Texas Rice Council Board. He was named as Pioneer Farmer of the Year for the 2004 Texas Rice Festival in Winnie. He and his wife Ruth have been devoted members of the First Baptist Church of Devers. One of the achievements of which he was most proud was his service as one of the longest serving school board members in Texas. For almost 60 years he served on the Devers ISD Board of Trustees. He was well known at the Devers campus. The younger students would always crowd around “G-Dad” as he greeted them by name on his weekly visits. In 2003 the district’s middle school was named the Tommy McMullan Middle School in G-Dad’s honor. That same year the Texas Legislature passed a resolution honoring him upon his 50th year of school board service. Tommy McMullan had such a big heart for everyone, but his family, the Devers students and staff were his passion. In 2010, he was named City of Liberty Citizen of the Year by the Liberty-Dayton Chamber of Commerce. Tommy was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Jody McMullan and David McMullan, granddaughter Katie Hall. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ruth Willis McMullan of Devers; daughters, Donna McMullan Hall and husband James of Dayton, Belynda McMullan Counts and husband John of Conroe, and Peggy McMullan of Dayton; grandchildren, Chad Counts, Brad Counts and Tiffany, Marcia Hall Jackson and husband Tyler, Brett Hall and Brian Hall; great-grandchildren, Kali, Kami, Kellan, Eli, Olivia, and McKenna; brother, Danny McMullan of Orange, also numerous other relatives and friends. For those who desire memorials may be made to the Devers Education Foundation, P.O. Box 488, Devers, Texas 77538 or the First Baptist Church, 106 Avenue A, Devers, Texas 77538. Please leave your thoughts and memories for the family at www.pacestancil.com