04/17/1963 – 01/23/2025
John Mark Thomas, beloved husband, father and friend went to his heavenly home and reward on January 23, 2025 at 4:45 a.m. in Joplin, Missouri due to complications of liver/kidney disease coupled with congestive heart failure. He was the gift of a son to his parents, John Robert and Mary Lou (Morgan) Thomas and a sister Ona Thomas. He was born on the 17th of April, 1963. Growing up in north Joplin, he met, cultivated and had many childhood friendships that he carried and cherished within his heart his entire life. He was always glad to share with anyone his recollections of fun and friendship of his youth and the happiness and the memories that were created. Those friendships were a special piece of his heart from their inception in the neighborhood, on the playground at school and throughout his life. Truly he treasured those people who befriended him in that period of time and he would want every one of those friendships and all his friendships to know they were something of great meaning to him.
He graduated from the former Memorial High School of Joplin, a proud Memorial Eagle Alumni class of 1981. Upon graduation and now ready for the real ‘adult’ world he continued his education by attending Missouri Southern State University completing this part of his life journey by receiving his Master’s Degree in Business/Human Resources in 2005 from Webster University. Working for several esteemed employers within the financial services field, he was able to contribute to their success. He was working for Wyndam Destinations as an analyst for the last 9 years before his passing. Anyone that knew him would agree that being an analyst was what he needed to be as he was always thinking forward and what would be best to handle almost any situation.
In 1995 Mark married his loving wife, Cheryl Ann (Pritchard) Thomas. A few years later they welcomed a son, Hunter Jordan into their lives and to the world. This newly formed 3-piece family unit would begin a family life that would always be his solid foundation going forward. Within the Joplin community and area Mark was very involved in the area’s entertainment choices. Working with the Joplin Jaycees and local entertainment promoter Al Zar and the historic Joplin Memorial Hall, he worked with many of the biggest musical acts of the time. From Weird Al Yankovic to one of the all-time loudest concerts ever to hit Joplin and potentially one of the loudest recorded shows ever, Cheap Trick. He proudly served with the Jaycees and Mr. Zar to give his hometown some of the best shows from the biggest stars at the time. Genuinely he took great pride in being able to do such things. And in doing these things he developed and shared his many stories with his son Hunter, Cheryl and many of his fellow friends. Cheryl and Hunter will always have a huge repository of great stories of the ‘old days of rock and roll’ and the interesting ways and quirks of those rock stars that were involved with their shows. He was a true music aficionado, enjoying all different kinds of music with Kansas being of his favorite bands and developing a friendship with a couple of the band members.
Mark was civic minded from an early age and he joined the local area Joplin Chapter of the Order of DeMolay. Within this organization he developed and was taught how to be a respectful member of the community, to have respect for fellow man and to give the utmost respect to women. Learning a respectful moral compass that he managed to keep as his focus in life as it involved both his marriage and his community. As such he was involved in many of the Memorial Class of 1981 reunion plans and their fundraising. The connections as a Memorial Eagle and those cherished north Joplin friendships were something that he held dearly to his heart as motivation to help. Other things that he enjoyed was being a student of the weather, studying the local weather patterns and developing a website named the ‘Weather Junkie’ where would post weather updates that were of importance to the safety and welfare of his family, friends and his community. Few people will know but in the immediate aftermath of the devastating EF-5 tornado that struck Joplin, Mark along with his childhood friend Jack Divine helped pull survivors out of the rubble of the Green Briar nursing home. That was the man in a nutshell – care for his fellow man and community minded. Mark was an avid sports fan and was a fan of all his home state professional teams as well as supporting and cheering for local high school and collegiate teams. Easily a man who was ‘statistically driven’, Mark was always one who had a piece of ‘stat trivia’ for virtually any game you were watching with him. If he didn’t have any stat info his face was often buried in his damn cell phone researching some team, player or location or sports updates, always finding something worthy of sharing. How in the world the nickname ‘Stats’ never was applied or stuck on the man is beyond me. It would have been ever so appropriate to hear ‘hey! I’ll bet my friend, Stats Thomas would know the answer. Stats, get over here and settle something for us.’ Those that know the sports side of Mark know that he a profound fandom with Pete Rose. Mark got to meet his hero while in Las Vegas and got the opportunity to chat with ‘Pete’. The smile on his face would last a long time after returning home. Said of meeting Pete, he was a really normal guy. Very impressed with how down to earth Pete Rose was.
On a cold, nasty wintery day in the middle of January 2025 with his friend Jack Divine by his side and with his family around him he accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as his Savior. A choice that he will now be able to enjoy his heavenly reward and know eternal peace and happiness. John Mark was preceded in death by both his parents, John and Mary Lou and his older sister Ona. He leaves a wife and son and countless friends and extended family that will miss his sometimes dry, but very funny sense of humor behind. The sense of humor that could generate huge belly laughs be it with a cheesy joke and poor timing but still would make you roll on the floor laughing. Many games of Trivial Pursuit with the family were enjoyed and overtaken by those cheesy jokes and over-whelming laughter. Memories that will forever live within the hearts of Cheryl and Hunter and many, many of his friends who were fortunate to enjoy laughter with him. These memories will certainly live on and be carried by his son Hunter who will always strive to honor his father’s life as he pursues his life’s passions.
John Mark Thomas will be deeply missed by his wife, son and many friends from throughout the world who had the distinct privilege of knowing him. May there be a place for him on the respective planning committees of musical entertainment and weather monitoring in his heavenly home so that he continues to serve and protect his family, friends and community. Rest in eternal peace John Mark Thomas – leave behind these earthly burdens and enjoy the freedom of being restored, loved and remembered.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ozark Memorial Park Crematory of Joplin, MO