JON THOMAS

Known as Mr. Gun Sport, he was born at Georgetown Hospital in Washington, D.C., delivered, according to his mother, by the same doctor who delivered JFK. Jon was the only child of Anna Mae (Taylor) Thomas and Robert Wilbur Thomas. He spent his first 12 years in Arlington, Virginia, a stone’s throw from D.C., where his mother worked at the Pentagon. Jon recounted many stories about roaming the halls of the Pentagon on Saturdays and going through the filing offices where he read autopsy reports and looked through official biographies of Medal of Honor recipients. He would say that security was such that if his mom had wanted to sneak out any kind of documents in his Boy Scout yucca rucksack, she could have. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Ann and Jon pulled up stakes and headed to Randolph Air Force Base and bought a home in Schertz, Texas. It was there that Jon realized his dream of living in the wide-open spaces of Texas, complete with rattlesnakes, prairie dogs, cow skulls, and tumbleweeds. Jon missed half his sixth-grade year due to mono. It was Ann Thomas to the rescue with a copy of The Shooter’s Bible and a copy of Gun Digest. Jon devoured them cover to cover and committed all gun knowledge to memory. He worked and saved two years to purchase a Belgian Auto-5 shotgun and a Savage 99 rifle in .270. During his high school years, he worked on a survey team so he could carry a .357 revolver.

He graduated early to enlist at seventeen in the Marine Corps. It was the tail end of Viet Nam. When the Drill Instructors at Camp Lejeune saw what an excellent marksman he was, they kept him stateside to train recruits in riflery. He was honorably discharged with the rank of -5 which he referred to as a “glorified grunt”. After the Marines, Jon went to Sam Houston State University where he majored in playing pool and decided that college was not for him. He ended up clerking and gunsmithing at the Sportsman’s Bailiwick in San Antonio’s Alamo Heights area and progressed through the ranks. He started Thomas and Barrett Fine Guns in 1978 when he was twenty-six. When the partnership dissolved, Jon put his credentials out for hire. That brought him to Odessa in 1984 to manage The Sportsman’s Den on Andrews Highway. It was there that a young cowgirl came in to buy a rifle-and Jon was smitten. She was the first gal he had met who knew the difference between a rifle and a shotgun. He married Dolly Donaldson in September of 1985 (much to her sisters’ dismay) and they have shared a life of love and adventure for 37 years. When Jon was handed his pink slip in 1989. It was no problem-Gun Sport Ltd. was born on a napkin in the kitchen of a small house on Crescent Drive. He made the gun show circuit-Houston, San Antonio, Denver, Las Vegas, Tulsa, Nashville-to acquire inventory. The first shop was on the second floor in a tiny office building, and sales were by appointment only because of his gun show schedule. A few years later he bought the larger building at Dixie and University where he opened a full retail showroom with normal business hours. Jon’s 1975 brown and white Chevy Blazer was the “Open” sign. Jon loved buying and selling quality firearms and educating anyone who was willing to learn about the shooting sports.

Jon was also a Life-Member of TGCA, #261, and was well known in the collector community. His knowledge and friendship will be missed, but his spirit carries on in those who he touched. In 1993, after seven years together, Jon and Dolly welcomed Miss Sarah Ruth, a blue-eyed blonde-headed baby who looked just like her “Papa.”. His philosophy of child rearing was to lecture loudly and carry a big ice cream scoop. On was an avid reader and history scholar. He studied the tactics of generals, the policies of diplomats, and the rudiments and progressions of civilizations. His keen memory kept a catalogue of historical figures, dates and places, and film quotes. It could be said that he was a Renaissance man. Jon Thomas enjoyed many hunting activities, but he especially loved upland bird hunting, travelling widely to pursue dove, quail, and Hungarian partridge. Though he shot all gauges well, he excelled with his personal favorite – a Grulla Armas matched pair in .28 and .410.

In 2019 Jon was diagnosed with Stage 4 renal failure and began 3 ½ years of dialysis. He kept his spirits high by electing evening dialysis so he could work at Gun Sport during the day. His recent 19-day hospital stay began with a blood infection that led to heart failure.

Jon had no trouble expressing his love for family and friends. He was a God-honoring man.

Jon leaves us with no question of his love. Semper Fidelis.

Gun Sport Ltd. was a staple in the industry not to just those in Texas, but across the country. Poulin Firearms is exceptionally honored to have been selected to bring these firearms to public auction.

COLLECTION INDEX

Below are the lot numbers of the items from this collection to be featured in our May 8-11, 2025 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction

1315  |  1326  |  1353  |  1439  |  2220  |  2380  |  2498  |  2499  |  2528  |  3035  |  3036  |  3037  |  3038  |  3039  |  3040  |  3041  |  3043  |  3046  |  3050  |  3052  |  3053  |  3055  |  3059  |  3060  |  3062  |  3066  |  3067  |  3068  |  3069  |  3073  |  3077  |  3082  |  3085  |  3089  |  3105  |  3106  |  3110  |  3117  |  3138  |  3161  |  3162  |  3163  |  3183  |  3184  |  3188  |  3194  |  3195  |  3197  |  3202  |  3297  |  3298  |  3307  |  3334  |  3347  |  4362  |  4364

3197
3202
3297
3298
3307
3334
3347
4362
4364