Thomas Laverne “Boots” Etheridge, age 83, of Kaufman passed away Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at his home and surrounded by his loving family. Thomas Etheridge was born on April 5, 1939, in Dixon Mills, Alabama to the late Amos Jefferson Etheridge and Alice Ethel Day Etheridge.
Boots grew up in Alabama, however had a short stay in Texas. After moving to Missouri, he decided Texas was the place to be and made his way back to the Lone Star State by hitchhiking at the young age of 11. Thomas was only 16 years of age when he enlisted into the United States Navy on August 26, 1955, in Birmingham, Alabama and honorably served his country until 1957. Boots married Betty Jean Mills in 1958. Although they divorced, they remained great friends throughout the years. He married the love of his life, Kathleen L. Bevil on March 31, 1988, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Thomas loved: fishing, hunting, joking, old westerns (Gunsmoke, Bonanza and many others), old sayings, the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers; and he loved his chair. He was an ink chemist and retired from Kohl and Madden and then worked for the Kaufman ISD. A favorite family memory is how he always woke TJ up in the morning by saying, “Get up out of that bed, boy!”
Boots is dearly loved and will be greatly missed by his wife, Kathy Etheridge of Kaufman; Five Sons: James (Jimmy) Lee Etheridge and wife Tresa of Arlington, Jeffery (Jeff) Lynn Etheridge of Arlington, James Kunkle and wife Kendra of Kaufman, Michael Bruce and wife Delrea of Florida and Thomas Jay “TJ” Etheridge of Kaufman; Brother, James Donald Etheridge and wife Betty of Fort Worth; Sister, Elizabeth Janette Wilcox of Florida; Grandchildren: Jimmy Neal Etheridge, Teresa Etheridge, TJ Etheridge, Devan Barton, Courtney Etheridge, Jordan Kunkle and Brian Bruce; Great Grandchildren, Charlene Schwartz, Ray Jr. Schwartz, James Schwartz, Lilliana Barrow, Daniel Barrow, Ella Bruce, Tyler Kriska; kitty kid, Buster and K9 kid, Dixie.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, John Amos Etheridge; and sister, Alice Jean Myers.
The family invites you to attend a memorial service at 12:00 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2022, at Ingram Funeral Home in Quinlan.