John Francis Thomas
John Francis Thomas, born September 21, 1960 in St. Petersburg, FL left on his final adventure as he sailed to Heaven on April 3, 2022.
The son of George Francis Thomas (deceased) and Diane Gragg Young Thomas, he grew up with his younger brother Brian Keith Thomas, who is married to Amy Thomas.
As a 1978 graduate of Parkside High School, John made many friends and excelled in shop class crafting projects including a banjo, canoe, and a working hovercraft. He continued to love woodworking and spent many hours in what Angel called his "toy box" coming home covered in "man glitter". He never outgrew the 70's and had the long hair and tie dye shirts to prove it!
He married his high school sweetheart, Angel Rosen Thomas, in 1980, the same year they welcomed their daughter, Kristina Dawn Thomas. She is married to Brent Bolen and they added a granddaughter, Juliet Kristine Bolen, to the family.
In 1982 a son, John Francis Thomas Jr. arrived. He is married to Rachel Thomas and they added 3 more granddaughters, Brianna Elizabeth Thomas, Zoe Nicole Nilsen, and Kira Riley Nilsen.
Another son, Chad Hamilton Thomas, was born in 1984. He was married to Lizzy Stuart and a granddaughter, Joey Elizabeth Thomas, was born. He is married to Becky Thomas and they added a granddaughter, Evelyn Rose Thomas, a grandson, Jonathan Ruger Thomas, and another granddaughter, Amelia Reef Thomas to the family.
In 2019 John and Angel became host parents to Hannah von der Ecken, an exchange student from Germany, and welcomed her into the family as a daughter.
After 8 years of service in the US Air Force, mostly stationed in England, John began working for Verizon in 1988, retiring this past January.
John was an extraordinary man with a wealth of love, laughter, family, friends, and knowledge. He invested in his children teaching them focus, endurance and to achieve their goals. He liked expanding their boundaries and interests on their family vacations. He was the king of bad dad jokes and made an elephant call his grandchildren knew as their Pappy sound. He wasn't just beloved by his family, he was greatly admired.
John was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone. Call it perseverance or plain stubbornness, either way he wouldn't quit until the job, race, task, etc. was done and finished well.
He lived life to the fullest, had a passion for sailing and was a member of ESSA. John and Angel enjoyed many interests during their 42 years together such as photography, music, history, shooting, motorcycling, hot air ballooning, hang gliding, cruising, camping, high pointing, white water rafting, skydiving, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, and traveling.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2022 @ 11 a.m. at Oak Ridge Baptist Church where he attended for 21 years. A time to meet with the family begins at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Oak Ridge Baptist Church Building Fund to help others learn the message of salvation.