John Thomas Moss

Services for John Thomas Moss, (79), of Tyler will be held on March 30, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Jim Gillen officiating. Entombment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. John passed away on March 24, 2025. He was born June 12, 1945, in Cairo, IL, to Lillard T. Moss and Betty Dickerson Moss. He graduated with a business degree from Abilene Christian University. John was a professional seedsman, providing agricultural seed products to farmers and ranchers throughout Texas and the rest of the country, for a total of 58 years, during which time he owned and managed East Texas Seed Company, in Tyler, Texas, for the final 41 years. John started his career in the seed business in 1967, where he worked alongside his father, L.T. “Tee” Moss at Moss Seed Company in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is with Tee that John first developed and incorporated his strong moral compass and high set of business ethics into his professional career. John always said that Tee taught him to do what is right, even if it wasn’t the most profitable personally. Both men believed strongly in taking the talents and resources granted to you by God and reinvesting in productive activities to your peers within the industry, the community around you and, most importantly, your employees and customers. After a period of growth, Tee and John sold Moss Seed Company to Occidental Petroleum’s Seed Division, Ring Around Products, Inc. in 1972, which ultimately led to John’s relocation to Montgomery, Alabama. John remained with Ring Around until 1983. John purchased East Texas Seed Company in 1984 and, alongside with his wife Margaret, has owned and managed East Texas Seed Company for the last 41 years. John relished working alongside his wife, Margaret, as well as his son, Richie Moss, who joined the company in 1997 and Seth Moss, Richie’s son, who joined the company in 2022. after his time at The University of Arkansas. In 2010, John handed the reins of day-to-day operations of the business to Richie and assumed a chairman role within the company, providing key strategic guidance to Richie, Margaret, Seth, and the remainder of the East Texas Seed Company team for the past 15 years. His time and energy turned to assisting in any way he could with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County, serving as a long-time board member. John and Margaret were one of the first donors to the capital campaign. The Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County is an organization that not only brings hope, healing and justice to child abuse victims, but also equips the community to recognize, report and prevent abuse. In addition, John contributed his time as a Board member and as President at both Hollytree Country Club and Willow Brook Country Club. Within the seed industry, John’s impact was profound, as John believed deeply that no leadership position was ever achieved without paying your dues and, instead of complaining, it was always more productive to put in the effort yourself to effect the change you wanted to see. By the end of his career, John had been President of the Southern Field Seed Council, achieved a lifetime Honorary Membership for past positions held with the Texas Seed Trade Association, including as Chairman of the Executive Search Committee and a member of their Board of Directors, President of the Southern Seed Association and a Regional V.P. of the American Seed Trade Association. One of John’s most scathing letters, for him at least, that was written in 2010, was to reprimand the lack of cooperation and productive conversations at a recent seed industry event. It was John’s impression that folks were becoming afraid they would give away the “family secret” if they shared what they knew, and John reminded them that there were no secrets in the seed industry as he could make two phone calls and find out any answer he wanted. John believed greatly in the human connection, and that it was always better to work together. John’s impact within the industry was often to act as a “mediator” between battling factions or fiefdoms within the organizations and getting them to see the benefit of working collaboratively. John was preceded in death by his parents, L.T. and Betty Moss, and sister Linda Moss. He is survived by his loving family: his wife of 39 years, Margaret, two daughters, Sandie Rauschenberger (Todd), Jennifer Hollon (Jimmy), two sons, Richie Moss and Jarod Moss (Kimmy). Grandchildren, Cory Rauschenberger, Nicole Findley, Megan Sellers, J. B. Moss, Morgan Moss, Seth Moss, Avery Moss, Wesley Moss, Emmy Moss, Sunday Moss, and six great grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Rick Grisham, Mike Craig, Chris Hudson, Don Robert Johnson, Harry Leatherwood, Don Neill, George Rowe and Steve Simmons. Honorary pallbearers will be his grandsons, Cory Rauschenberger, J. B. Moss, Seth Moss, and great grandson, Timmer Herman. Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler. In lieu of flowers a gift in memory of John may be made to The Pinwheel Endowment Fund, Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County, P.O. Box132889, Tyler, TX 75713.

John Thomas Moss

June 12, 1945 - March 24, 2025