Thomas L. Wade

Thomas L. Wade was born on October 21, 1946 in Bartlesville, OK to Thomas H. and Edith Wade, deceased. Thomas lived an honorable life, dying from nodular melanoma at the age of 69.Thomas served in the Army from Nov 1967 " March 1969 and was stationed in Gelnhausen, Germany.He then married the love of his life, Leona Maxwell, on June 13, 1970 and loved her faithfully until the end of his life.Thomas graduated from Wichita State University with a degree in Secondary Education intending to be a teacher, but God called him into the ministry. Thomas, or Pastor Tommy, was in the ministry for 40 years pastoring churches in Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. He was the President of the Wesleyan Holiness Alliance Organization from 1999-2016 and was currently the pastor of the Wesleyan Holiness Alliance church in Independence, KS.Thomas was a general contractor and enjoyed helping the older generation with their small jobs. He developed many friends in the community because of this." He loved to garden and was known in his community as the "man with the large garden".God blessed Thomas with a wonderful family, all of whom are surviving." He leaves behind three children. Mark "(Gayle) Garretson, Vicki (Paul) Clifton, Charla (Robert) Gordon and fourteen grandchildren. Flint and Savannah Garretson, Kade, Truston, Kyson, Keira, Shaylana Garretson; Chadwick, Darrell and Becca Clifton; "Drew, Jordan, Caleb, and Luke Gordon." He leaves behind two brothers, Dwayne (Karen) Chasteen, John (Connie)Wade; and three sisters, Carol (Lee) Epp, Judy Wade and Nancy (Larry) Tarrant.Thomas" life was marked with the care and consideration of others. Despite being a man with serious responsibilities, he would take time to talk to everyone"even interacting with the children: giving them a goofy wave, a wink, and a smile. And if you were to ask him, on any given day, how he"s doing, he would always reply, "Well, the Lord"s been good to me."The viewing will be from 12 Noon to 5:00 PM Sunday at the Wickham Family Funeral Home in Cherryvale, KS." The family will receive friends from 3:00 pm until 4:30 pm with a time of sharing starting at 3:30.Funeral services with be held at the "First Church of the Nazarene, Independence, KS "at 10:30 am Monday, March 14, 2016." Graveside services will be held in Cherryvale, KS at the Fairview Cemetery following the service.