Tommie Wayne Thompson

Tommie Wayne Thompson, age 77, of Hamilton, TX, passed away on Saturday, January 10, 2026, after fighting a hard battle with cancer.

Tommie was born on August 13, 1948, to J.H. and Lorene Thompson in Gatesville, Texas. Tommie graduated from Hamilton High School in 1966. He was an exceptional athlete and excelled in all sports in high school. Following high school graduation, he tried out for the Ranger College baseball team. He later found out that he made the team, but he had already committed to attending Tarleton University where he ran hurdles on the track team. His true love was baseball, and he continued to play on recreational league teams as a hobby for many years following college.

After graduating with a degree in Education at Tarleton University, he started his first job at Lometa ISD as a coach and teacher. He also went on to coach in Junction, Pasadena, Wharton, Richland Springs, Throckmorton and Hamilton. Years later, he continued his education and received his master's in education at Tarleton University.

In 1973, Tommie met Kristi Anne Thompson at Tom Brown’s senior party in Lometa, TX. Tommie and Kristi went on to have 4 daughters, Jenny, Kate, Holly, and Doxie. Tommie and Kristi remained married for 20 years.

In 2005, Tommie met his sweet wife, Rhonda Wooten. They were a perfect match. They loved traveling together on cruise ships and spending time with family. He was happiest when in her presence.

Tommie was the epitome of 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Although he was dealing with dementia and cancer, you would never know he was experiencing anything but goodness and positivity. From the doctors, to the nurses, to the hospital janitors, to his wife, his children, and grandchildren, the only words coming out of Tommie ‘Tuckers’ mouth were nothing less than hope, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, thankfulness, and a positive outlook on life and the future. He made you feel like anything was possible.

He was a man full of dreams and ideas. Always looking at every angle to find the best solution to any problem he faced. While coaching at Lometa and losing a basketball game 100-6, he decided that it would be better to lose the game laughing than feeling like a failure. He had his team shoot at the opposing team's goal to confuse the other team and, in turn, try to make the opposing team shoot at their basket to earn more points for his team. Needless to say, he ended the game with a team and crowd that were full of smiles, laughter, and memories they would not forget. That story ran on the front page of the local newspaper the following week. He was magic and he made life feel magical.

He was also a man of many trades. Although his college degree was in education and coaching, he also pursued many other career ventures in his lifetime. Tommie was not only a phenomenal coach and science teacher, he also started his own baseball card, t-shirt and trophy businesses, all beloved staples in the Hamilton, TX community in the 80’s. He also launched a community wide flea market that was a joy to his hometown. Tommie’s other endeavors included running a service station, working on windmills and working for the Hamilton electric co-op. He even bought and sold cars and worked as a life-skills teacher at the Gatesville Correctional Facility. No matter what he was doing, he was having fun doing it. He was a joy to work with, always volunteering to help new teachers get on their feet when they started their career. He would give teachers that were going through hard times all of his sick leave. He simply brightened everyone's day by making every person he encountered feel seen and appreciated.

His legacy will live on in all the people he touched in his lifetime, from his wife, to his children, to his students, to his coworkers, to the ladies that served him lunch daily at the local gas station, to the janitorial staff at school, to the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff that got to experience him in his last days. No one will forget Tommie Wayne Thompson, because he made every individual he encountered feel important and significant in this life.

Tommie was preceded in death by his mother, Lorene Thompson, his father, J.H. Thompson, and his big brother Jimmy Don Thompson. He is survived by his wife Rhonda Wooten Thompson, his four daughters Jenny Tubbs, Kate Mills, Holly Jones, and Doxie Wilson, as well as his 13 grandchildren Brant, Lincoln, and Preston Tubbs; Finley, Josee, Tucker, and Quinn Mills; Emory and Baylor Jones, and Daxton, Beckam, Ryser, and Crew Wilson.

Services will be held at Bellmead funeral home in Waco, TX on Saturday January 17, 2026, at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to a local animal shelter.