Orlan Earl Thomas, passed away October 14, 2026 at 7:40am at Norman Regional Hospital. Dr. Thomas was born February 10, 1935 in Milan, Kansas, to Bernice Breneman Thomas and Leslie Earl Thomas. He came to Norman, OK. in April of 2013, for Aortic Heart-Valve replacement at Oklahoma Heart Hospital, and has been a resident of Norman since that time. From 1967, he lived in Lubbock, Texas for 46 years, where he was for 34 years, Associate Professor of Music, at Texas Tech University School of Music. He married Marcella Evangeline Frisbie Thomas, August 25, 1962 in Hawley, Pennsylvania.

The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, in August of 2012. Marcella preceded him in death in January of 2013. He was also preceded in death by infant daughter, Bernieta.

He is survived by his son, Marlan & wife Starr Thomas, and his two daughters, Anita and her husband Zach Moffitt and Jolita Elise and her husband Jason Holasek and their families which include 14 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Orlan graduated from Lincoln High School, Lincoln, Nebraska in 1953, and holds a Bachelor and Master of Music degrees, from the University of Nebraska, as well as the D.M.A. Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 1973, from the Eastman School of Music, in Rochester, N.Y. He began his teaching career at the University of Nebraska, teaching concurrently in the laboratory University High School, and was head band director for seven years. Following the completion of his doctorate, he took the position of oboe teacher, teacher of courses in music education, music theory and music literature at Texas Tech University, in Lubbock, Texas.

At Texas Tech he performed with the Department of Music's faculty woodwind quintet, the Mariah Winds. He was active in symphonic performances, beginning with position of Principal Oboe and English horn respectively with the Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska Symphony Orchestras and, in Texas, principal oboist of the Lubbock, the Midland/ Odessa as well as the Roswell, New Mexico Symphony Orchestras. In his later years at Texas Tech, he originated and taught a course in Songwriting, as well as writing an award winning Study Guide, for its inclusion in the curriculum of Texas Tech’s Division of Continuing Education.

Following being a member of Lubbock’s Trinity Baptist Church for 9 years, he was invited to Lubbock’s 1st Baptist Church in 1976 to begin a church orchestra, and was a faithful member of that church and orchestra for 37 years. He has been a member of 1st Baptist, Moore, (OK) and the Frank & Friends Sunday School Class, as well as oboist of the church orchestra since the fall of 2013. He was currently serving as Principal Oboist of the Oklahoma Baptist Symphony. Orlan was an integral member of his family’s music group, “The Thomas Family Musicians,” which was begun in 1980, for a partnership mission to Germany, and for the summer of 1981 when the family was invited to return to Germany for the entire summer, to help begin a new ministry in the city of Preetz, helping to prepare a building to house the new ministry that remains to this day a vibrant worship center. The family music group also ministered in churches across the U.S., as well as churches, and civic groups in Lubbock, Texas and the area.

Following his teaching tenure at Texas Tech University concluding in the year 2001, he taught for six years at Sias International University in Xinzheng (Shin-jung), China, teaching Music Literature primarily, which teaching was under the auspices of Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas, as well as oral English. Orlan was director, and was with his wife, Marcella, cofounder of the Sias University English Choir. At Sias, he had awesome opportunities to share the Lord with students and was privileged to be a part of reaching many of these for the Lord. Orlan was a born again Christian, having ministry, and has served the Lord faithfully all these years.

Services will be held in

 the Worship Center

 at First Baptist Church 

Moore October 20, 2026 12 pm 

301 NE 27th Street Moore, OK 73160