Word has been received of the death of Carl Otto Thrall of Felt, Ok. Mr. Thrall passed away due to an unexpected illness Saturday March 2, 2013 in Amarillo, Tx. He was 78. [it-exchange-member-content membership_ids=”485,313″]
Carl was born December 20, 1934 in his grandmother’s home in Northern Texas County, Ok. to Beauford Eugene and Ruth Lucile Burkhardt Thrall.
April 4, 1957 he married E-Vona Lee “Vonnie” Daffern in Clayton, N.M. E-Vona preceded him in death September 2, 2005. He later married Karen Kay Cochrane, May 25, 2007 in Hugoton.
Carl grew up on a farm north of Guymon, Ok. and began school in a one room schoolhouse near Straight, Ok. He attended school in Rolla where they moved in 1942. His parents then moved to a farm 15 miles south of Boise City in Cimarron County in 1951 where they raised milo and wheat and he attended Boise City High School.
After high school Carl worked on a digger truck for a construction company and as a service person at the Ford Garage in Boise City. During his time as a roughneck in the oilfields, he traveled southern Colorado. Carl met Vonnie Daffern while working in Lamar and they married and moved to the farm south of Boise City near the Texas state line.
Carl’s father Beauford died in 1959 when Carl was 25 years old, and the responsibility of the farm became his to manage. He lived on the farm since that time, where he continued to grow milo, alfalfa, wheat, corn, cattle and kids!
Mr. Thrall was born and raised in the lean times of the Depression. He knew things in life had to be earned, he seldom complained, expected nothing except what was earned. He laughed often, loved his family and friends, played a mean game of poker and loved to dance. He taught his children honesty and a strong work ethic, to return things better than you found them, pay your bills on time, and be genuine and fair in your dealings.
Carl’s passion for farming is demonstrated in the quote: “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” He was a great mentor; he taught his values by deeds more than words and his lessons were quiet ones. If you ignored his subtle advice he would patiently allow you to learn your lesson the hard way but would be available to help you out of your mess. Many boys became men from the labor of his alfalfa fields and under his watchful eye.
Carl was an exemplary farmer and won the “National Corn Yield Contest” from the National Corn Growers Association and Pioneer Seed eight times from 1992 to 2008. He also won the award for “Outstanding Young Farmer” given by the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Boise City and was featured on the cover of Oklahoma Farmer-Stockman Magazine in December 1992 for his pioneering work on Ridge-Till Farming.
Carl believed in service to the community and served on the Board of Directors for the Cimarron County Conservation District for 24 years before retiring in December of 2009. Carl served a term as a trustee at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and helped build the Boise City Golf Course.
Carl was lucky in love twice and met and married Kay Cochrane who shared his love of dancing and movie dates. Carl also gained two step sons in the process to add to his extended family. Carl and Kay traveled many places to visit family and friends. They took a trip to Hawaii to visit the Pearl Harbor site, sat on the porch and watched the ocean and drove themselves completely around the island of Hawaii.
He is survived by his wife Kay of the home; two sons Terry Thrall and wife Pam of Boise City and Tom Thrall and wife Katy of Uvalde, Tx.; two daughters, Deb Pierce and husband Terry of Albuquerque, N.M. and Lisa Henley and husband Buddie of Gallup, N.M.; two stepsons, Bruce Cochrane of Hugoton and Bret Cochrane of Durango, Co.; eight grandchildren, Melissa Brown and husband Cooper of Albuquerque, Travis Thrall and Patti of Felt, Ok. Nicole Henley of Rawlins, Wy., Colby Thrall and wife Marla of Boise City, Judd Thrall and wife Juli of Amarillo, Tx., Cody Henley and wife Jenny of Green River, Wy., Karen Thrall of Oklahoma City, Ok. and Rachelle Thrall of Amarillo; five great granddaughters, Paige and Sydney Brown, Maddison and Rylee Wright, and Payton Thrall; and numerous other family, friends and neighbors.
Those preceding Mr. Thrall in death are his parents; first wife; and his two brothers, Harold and Ralph.
Funeral services were attended Thursday morning, March 7, 2013 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Boise City with Pastor Cindy Robertson officiating. Burial followed in Boise City Cemetery under the direction of Cimarron Mortuary.
The family suggests memorials be given to the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church or the Delane Schwindt Memorial Cancer Fund in care of the mortuary. [/it-exchange-member-content]