Dr. Gustave "Gussie" Daniel Thomas, IV

Dr. Gustave Daniel Thomas IV, 85, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. A Funeral Mass will be held at 12:00 p.m. with a visitation starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 17, 2026 at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Interment will be at Cedar Rest Cemetery. Waterbury Funeral Service of Sergeant Bluff is assisting the family with arrangements.

The world knew him as Dr. Gustave Daniel Thomas IV, Professor Emeritus, USDA career scientist, and pioneer in entomology. His family knew the wonderful man behind the title: Dad, Papa, Brother, and Uncle Gussie. Dad loved the movie quote “Que Sera Sera” whatever will be, will be. Even in sickness, he never surrendered. Gussie always tried to gain clarity from the chaos.

Born on August 4, 1940, in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to Gustave Daniel Thomas III and Ruby Shavers Thomas, he was the eldest of eight children in a large Catholic family. He grew up in Bay St. Louis, graduated from Saint Stanislaus in 1957. Gussie then earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University, and his doctorate in entomology at the University of Missouri at age 24. He was the first-generation college graduate on his mother’s side, and credits his Stanislaus education as shaping his discipline, honesty, faith, and lifelong friendships.

Gussie spent his career protecting the biological systems that support American agriculture. One of his greatest accomplishments included work to eradicate the screwworm from North America into Central America, and he contributed to roughly 100 publications on the topic. He served as an entomologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, led the Midwest Livestock Insects Research Laboratory at the University of Nebraska, served in national program leadership in Washington, D.C., and held the rank of Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In 1991, he received the C. V. Riley Achievement Award from the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America.

Gussie built a full life with his wife of 60 years, Valarine Bernadine Laigast Thomas. Val brought Cajun tradition, Catholic faith, and a fierce devotion to Nebraska Cornhusker football into the home they built together. Val preceded him in death on August 21, 2020.

After Val passed, he stated the truth plainly: “If it wasn’t for my kids I might have drowned in grief.” That sentence honored his children as much as it revealed his dedication to his life with Val. Although he lived away from Mississippi longer than he lived there, his sisters still revered his presence. He was not loud. He was fixed. There is a difference. Gussie’s southern roots remained deep. He was humble and steady in the way people trusted most. He called himself “The Big Kahuna” then laughed because he knew exactly how ridiculous that sounded. He loved his two goldendoodles (Gus and Chris) without embarrassment.

He asked great questions and treated every conversation like data worth collecting.In addition to Val, he will be welcomed to Heaven by his father, Gustave Daniel Thomas III; his mother, Ruby Shavers Thomas; his sister Brenda; brothers Curtis and Raymond; and nephew Raymond John.

He is survived by his children: Gustave Thomas V of Sunrise Beach, Missouri; Christopher (Lisa) Thomas of Yankton, South Dakota; Dawna Trautman of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Rachel (Lance) Zeleny of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, eight grandchildren: Lauren (Jacob) Kadel; Jacob Thomas; Betsy (Dan) Semmler; Brandon (Tabitha) Trautman; Taylor Trautman; Jack Zeleny; Faith Zeleny; and Hope Zeleny; and eight great-grandchildren, four sisters, Pam (Ronnie Stoltz) Metzler, Joy (Dave) Richardson, Christine (Melvin) Barnes, and Lisa (Kevin) Haas, along with nieces, nephews, extended family, his golden doodles, colleagues, and former students.

Gussie persevered his entire life, and a single statement defined the shape of his decisions. His niece asked him how he practiced such patience – he responded, “This is not patience. This is just not quitting.

”In lieu of flowers, plants, or gifts, the family kindly requests that donations be made to St. Stanislaus in Dr. Gustave Daniel Thomas IV memory.