Rex Ira Warrick, 89, passed away after a brief illness. He was the beloved father of Kathy (Tim) Thornhill
and Kelly (Mark) Thannum and Pawpaw to Crystal (Josh) Murphree, Melinda Shedd, Allison (Bob) Miller,
Natalie (Drake) Thannum-Newnum, Tim (Stephanie) Thannum and 9 great-grandchildren. He was loved
by many and will be sorely missed.
A life-long Houstonian, Rex was the only child of Ira and Mildred Warrick. Although he lost his father at a
young age, he was loved and mentored by family and friends. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of
America and the ROTC. He graduated from Reagan High School in 1949 and the University of Houston in
1963. He was a Master Sergeant in the Army National Guard. Rex married Joanne Bennett on November
29, 1956, and they were married for 50 years until her death in December of 2006. Professionally, Rex
worked for Southwestern Bell for over 40 years. He earned his professional engineering license and
worked in the real estate department. Rex traveled with his family on numerous camping trips around
the country where he instilled a love for nature and history in his children. In addition, there were
countless camping trips where lifetime friendships were forged with treasured families. He enjoyed
playing games with family and friends where he was a master at 42 and a dabbler in Bridge. After
retirement, he enjoyed travelling, working on projects around the house, visiting his grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
Rex was a faithful member of Tallowood Baptist Church, serving as a deacon, Sunday school teacher,
and member of the choir for multiple years. He and Joanne were frequently involved in mission work
such as serving at the West End Food Pantry, Star of Hope Mission, and various mission trips. He took
several choir trips overseas and had the opportunity to visit the holy land in Israel. With all these things,
Rex's greatest accomplishment was the impact he had on others. A born story-teller, Rex enjoyed
imparting his wisdom and experiences to his family and friends in a quiet and unassuming way that
naturally drew people to him. In addition, he was always willing to listen, encourage, and help anyone
with whom he came in contact. His legacy will always be the love and respect he earned, not only from
his family, but also his neighbors, co-workers, and fellow church members.
A memorial service will be held at the Tallowood Baptist Church Worship Center, 555 Tallowood Dr. at
10:30 am, Thursday, November 4 th . In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Texas Baptist Men
( https://tbmtx.kindful.com/ ) or the International Mission Board ( https://www.imb.org/ )