Obituary of Thomas Deering

CAPT THOMAS WARREN DEERING, JR. MCALLEN - Capt Thomas Warren Deering, Jr., died peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on December 14, 2015. Thomas was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Thomas Warren and Joan Frances (Downs) Deering on December 5, 1945. He was raised in Indianapolis and graduated from Altus High School, Oklahoma in 1963 and received his B.A. in History from the University of Oklahoma in 1967. He enlisted in the United States Air force in July 1967 and served until December 1974. He was an aircraft maintenance officer and nuclear missile launch crew commander. Thomas was a Captain and Vietnam Veteran and received the following awards while serving: Award of the Air Force Commendation Medal, Award of the Bronze Medal and Armed Forces Honor Medal. From 1975 to 1994 he was employed at Inland Container Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana; and later transferred to Bell, California, Ontario, California, and, Edinburg, Texas. He married Herlinda Garcia from Edinburg, Texas on April 30, 1994. In 1995, he started working for Fruit Growers Supply Company in Ontario, California as a plant manager until his retirement in 2005. At that time, he and Linda moved to San Antonio and lived there until 2010 then moved to McAllen. Thomas loved sports and politics. Having graduated from Oklahoma University he was an avid fan of the OU Sooners. He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Warren and Joan Frances Deering. Thomas is survived by his loving and dedicated wife Herlinda Garcia Deering of 21 years; his son, Downs (Sherrill) Deering of Houston, Texas; three grandchildren, Meredith, Price, and Davis Deering.; a sister, Rita M. (Ron) Webber of Hixsom, Tennessee; two brothers, Jerry L. (Karen) Deering of Indianapolis, Indiana and Steven (Clarissa) Deering of Dallas, Texas. Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service today, December 17, 2015, at Legacy Chapels in Edinburg. Funeral service will take place at 9 a.m. Friday, December 18, 2015, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Interment will follow at Rio Grande Valley Veterans State Cemetery in Mission. Pallbearers will be Downs Deering, Steve Deering, Eduardo Salej, Jaime Rivas, Armando Rivas, Michael Salas, Chris White, Ray David Garcia. Honorary pallbearer will be Marco Antonio Salas. Special thanks to his caregivers, Leonor Ledezma, Dulce Terrazas and Mirna Arellano; his nurse, Andy Carranza and Chaplin David Mann of Merida Health Care Group. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Legacy Chapels in Edinburg.