Judy Thomas Memorial Scholarship

Originally from Ohio, Judy Thomas moved to Arlington, Texas in 1962. She graduated from Sam Houston High School in the charter class of 1965. Following in her footsteps, many of her family members graduated from Sam Houston, including 2 brothers, a nephew, 2 nieces, and her daughter. A long history of Thomas Texans preserve the traditions and spirit of Sam Houston!

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Ohio University and returned to Texas to teach at her alma mater, Sam Houston High School. Hired by B.H. Remynse in 1972, Ms. Thomas taught at Sam Houston for 39 years before retiring in 2011. During her tenure, she taught Special Education and Social Studies. She served as cheerleading sponsor during the 1980s, Social Studies Department Head, Campus Ticket Coordinator and held various roles throughout her career. Judy went on to earn a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and a PhD ABD (All But Dissertation) in English from UT Arlington. A devoted and passionate educator who had the Cherokee yearbook dedicated to her in 2007, Teacher of the Year 1996 and awarded the prestigious Long Tall Texan Award in 2011. Numerous organizations have formally recognized Judy Thomas’s community and professional contributions, including Arlington ISD, the Arlington Masonic Lodge (Lamar Medal 2016) and UT Arlington.

Even in her retirement, she continued to dedicate time to the students of Sam Houston, serving as a substitute teacher, testing coordinator assistant, volunteer and community advocate. In 2013, Ms. Thomas took a prominent role in the SHHS Alumni Association as a board member and volunteer. She served in various capacities including Vice-President, Social Chairman, Donations Coordinator, and President of the association. Under her tenure, she increased awareness and elevated the organization to new heights. A few of these accomplishments include: raising over $50,000 for scholarships, winning a $10,000 grant from the Texas Rangers Foundation and receiving the 2015 Community Engaged for Excellence Award of Appreciation by Arlington ISD. The mayor and city council issued a proclamation in recognition of her service, and designating June 13 as Judy Thomas Day in Arlington. We encourage everyone to perform an act of kindness on this day in her memory.

The $1,000 Judy Thomas Memorial Scholarship was established in 2019,
and the family has committed to fund it annually for ten years.