Thomas Robert Thomas passed away peacefully on 12/2/2016 surrounded by family. He bravely fought esophageal cancer for 2-1/2 years.
He was born on 2/12/1946 in Peoria, IL. His family moved to Denver when he was 6 years old, where they lived for 11 years before moving to Bellevue, WA. As a boy he spent many summer vacations at the family farm in Brazil, Indiana where he and his father, brothers, and cousin enjoyed hunting squirrel. He had a paper route in middle school and worked at a seafood restaurant while in high school in Denver. He played center on the football team for East High School that took the state championship in his junior year. 
Tom and Carol were married 4/2/1966 and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They spent many summer days on Lake Sammamish with their 3 children on the ski boat that Tom built as a shop project back in high school. He loved camping with his family at Kalaloch NP, surf fishing, smelting, collecting rocks, playing cards, and telling stories around the campfire. When the kids grew up, Carol and Tom bought an RV and traveled as much as they could. They were 
able to visit 26 National Parks, many Presidential Museums, state capitals, and state history museums. They also spent time with out-of-town family and snowbird friends. Tom loved road trips and collecting post cards, which he often stamped the backs of with the National Park Passport stamp of the park he was nearby.
Tom wore many hats during his working years, mostly as a project engineer. Although, he always said he was just a draftsman. He worked at the John Danz Theater and for a landscape company in Bellevue while in high school. He attended Edison Technical School (now Seattle Central College) where he earned his drafting AA degree. He worked as a bouncer at a drive-in theater at one time. After a short stint with Kenworth as a draftsman, he took a job in California as a sales rep. for Cla-Val Company. After several years in California and a year in Dallas, Texas, he moved his family back to Bellevue where he went to work for NC Machinery as a project engineer in the power systems division. He retired from NC Machinery after 25 years and then worked part time at Controlled Power, Inc. for an additional 11 years. His work took him to many interesting places, including China, the Russian far east, and many remote places in Alaska.
He is survived by his wife, Carol, by their 3 children Thomas Richard Thomas, Kimberly 
Joann Thomas, and Holly Marie Thomas, 5 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, John and his wife Pat, and Steve and his wife Patti, 3 cousins, and many nieces and nephews.
He was a smart, kind and gentle man who will be missed by all who knew him.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, 1/21/2017 from 1-3PM.
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church Parish Hall
411 156th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98007
This will be a casual gathering, so please bring a story and a snack or dessert to share. Wear a Hawaiian shirt in Tom’s honor, if you can find one in the middle of winter.
please send remembrances to Hopelink of King County if desired.