THOMAS, Kyle Gregory - b. November 27, 1979 - d. September 2003

[Ole Granny]

Kyle Gregory Thomas, 23, Louisville, KY (formerly of Topeka, KS), was killed in action in Iraq.  He was born November 27, 1979, in Olathe, KS, the son of Raymond L. and Deborah Thomas.  Kyle was a 1998 graduate of Topeka West High School.  While in high school, Kyle was involved in Football, Wrestling, Theater, Yell Leading, Stage Craft, Woodworking and Photography.  Kyle danced for Metropolitan Ballet of Topeka and earned scholarships to The Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet,  He danced with Boca Ballet Theater, Florida, The Dayton Ballet Company, Ohio , and Evansville Dance Theater, Indiana.  He enlisted in the United States Army January 22 , 2002, in Topeka, KS.  Kyle was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503 Infantry Regiment, 173 Airborne Brigade, Able Company based in Ford Ederle, Italy.  He married his longtime friend Carissa Marie Dyke July 6, 2002, in Topeka.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clara Hohner Thomas, St. John, KS, Ira L. and Shirley J. Thomas, Moline, KS, and his uncle Gregory Kent Thomas, Salina, KS.  Survivors include his wife Carrissa Thomas, Louisville, KY; father Raymond Thomas, Topeka, KS; mother Deborah Thomas, Goshen, IN; brother Craig Thomas, Topeka, KS;  and grandmother Sadie  Buster, Colton, CA. 

Funeral Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday October 10 at St. Matthews Church, 2700 SE Virginia, Topeka, KS.  Burial with full military honors will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Topeka, KS.  Kyle will lie in state 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursday at the Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel.  Memorail contributions may be given to the Kansas Children's Service League, 3616 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS, 66611, in support of abused and negected children. " (Arr. Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel, 78535 4-8558)

(Published in the Kansas City Star on 10/5/03)
...
This is an article from the Topeka Capital-Journal 9-29-03 by Cait Purinton

"A matter of when"

"Teachers recall Kyle Thomas was a renaissance man."

"Kyle Thomas once comm(ented to his brother that he wanted to write a book about his many facets of life, and each chapter would begin w (ith a description of a pair of his shoes -- ballet slippers, work boots, athletic cleats, sandals and sneakers."

"The last chapter in his book would be the story of combat boots."

"Spc.  Kyle G. Thomas, 23, a 1998 graduate of Topeka West High School, was killed in an explosion Thursday inTikrit while he was on a patrol, according to the Department of Defense.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503 Infantry Regiment, 173 Airborn Brigade based in Ford Ederle, Italy."

Another article by Matt Stamy/The Capital Journal

"A collection of memorabilia from Kyle Thomas' liife includes roses given to him after ballet performances, a fencing mask, nutcrackers, a black and white photograph that he took, developed and printed, and picture of his wife."

"In my heart, I've been prepared for this for a number of months."  Deborah Thomas, his mother, said.  "For me, it was just a matter of when."

"She said her son felt a calling from God to join the U.S. Army after the Sept. 11 terriost attacks and after a kayaking incident in which he nearly drowned.  He told his father, Raymond Thomas, that joining the Army wasn't about oil or terrorism, but that God needed Christian man fighting for Him."

"Kyle and I talked very openly about this from the beginning,"  his mother said.  " Kyle knew he wasn't coming home, and so did I.  We knew we'd meet each other again in eternity."

"Deborah thomas last heard from her son two weeks ago.  He said things were slowing down and it was less tense in Iraq, where he had been since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom."

"He was all about what he was doing," she said.  "He was very happy, glad to be a part of freeing people and releasing them from the oppression."

Well-like performer

"Kyle Thomas' room in his father's home is decorated with artifacts of his many talents -- each rose he received following a ballet performance with the Metropolitan Ballet of Topeka, handmade nutcrackers, photographs and athletic shoes."

"June Landrith, MBT artistic director, said if he had any faults, it was that he was too good at so many things."

"I think that the people who associated with him in dance respected him and liked him genuinely."  Landrith said.  "I think that can be said about him from all the people he has danced with, from all the people he was in sports with, from all the people he was in theater design with and from all the people in his life."

"Kyle Thomas became involved in ballet when Landrith requested that members of the Topeka Fencing Club assist with a performance of "Romeo and Juliet."  After the production, he continued to attend classes--and flirt with the girls."

"Kyle was know to do that,"  Landrith said.  One of those girls, Cari Dyke, also of Topeka, would later become his wife.  The couple married in July 2002 while Kyle was on a 20-day leave before shipping out to Italy.  Cari was performing with a dance company in Louisville, KY, when she received word of her husband's death and remains in that city."

"He couldn't think of anybody else to be his life partner," said Craig Thomas, Kyle's younger brother."

"Kyle Thomas was entering his junior year at Topeka West when he chose dancing over football and wrestling.  He eventually earned a full scholarship to the Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet in 1997-98.  He also danced in the Boca Ballet Theatre in Florida, The Dayton Ballet Company in Ohio and the Evansville Dance Theatre in Indiana."

"He had nice feet and he worked very hard."  Landrith said."

"She said Kyle Thomas "wasn't cowardly" in his steps.  In fact, a pole in the middle of her studio will no longer be an innocuous object to her anymore."

"It is the thing Kyle was always hitting,"  she said.  "He would fling himself into the air and hit it."

A 'renaissance man'

"Dance wasn't the only thing that captivated his interest.  He also enjoyed horseback riding, woodworking and auto mechanics.  He spent many nights in the garage with his brother and friends making set pieces for productions at Topeka West."

"Mike Callaway, theater technical designer at Topeka West, recalls how Kyle Thomas taught him to weld to help build sturdy sets for the school's productions."

"He began in industrial art, and evenually applied his woodworking skills to set construction.  As a freshman and sophomore, he was a theater technician, the his junior and senior years "he really took off as an all-around renaissance man,"  Callaway said."

"Kyle was one of those people wo kind of stood out because he had a different aura about him,"  he said.  "He had a real good karma to him." 

"Doug Goheen, Theater teacher at Topeka West, remembers Kyle Thomas' vibrant energy and his diverse field of interests."

"I remember him as being a fine young man, well-respected, very polite, good natured."  he said.  "The overwhelming memory I have of him is his complete embracement of life." 

"Funeral arrangements are pending."

Kyle's name is still on Legacy.com.  I searched for Kyle Thomas of Topeka tonight and found many articles about Kyle.  Sounds like he was truly a Thomas like his dad and grandfather.

[Janet Harrington]

Ole Granny,

That was just wonderful.  It would be great if we could get a picture of him to put with his obituary.  Thanks for putting that on.

[Ole Granny]

A Picture of Kyle Gregory Thomas

[Janet Harrington]

Thank you, Ole Granny.  What a great looking soldier he was.  I'm sure that he is dearly missed.  We thank him and his family for the ultimate sacrifice that he gave to keep terrorists away from us.