William M. Thomas, Jr., of Brooklyn, OH, passed away peacefully on September 27, 2024 at the age of 86.
Bill was born on January 13, 1938 in Cleveland, OH. He graduated from West Tech High School, and married his high-school sweetheart, Katie Asmus, in 1956.
Bill joined the trades right after high school. He grew into a highly-trained and skilled electrician, and had a long and productive career, forging new pathways and making connections, expertly guiding the flow of electrons to light and power our lives. He was a proud, lifelong member of IBEW local 38, and a mentor to many newcomers to the profession. He always talked enthusiastically about many of the interesting jobs he worked over the years. Whether it was working on an x-ray machine in a new hospital, wiring up a movie theater, or working on any number of big construction projects, he got to spend time behind the scenes, seeing things most people would never see, his efforts touching and benefiting the lives of countless people. Even though it was hard work, often outdoors and in the elements, I’m sure he loved every minute of it.
As a younger man, Bill loved a night out on the town with his beautiful wife Katie, and told me that he enjoyed spending as much time with her as he could. He had many interests and hobbies, including trains, electronics and history. He was an avid swimmer and spent many summers at the Brooklyn Rec Center enjoying the water and working on a spectacular tan. He was a huge fan of music, mostly the oldies. It wasn’t an uncommon thing to hear tunes coming from our den as he rocked out with Elvis, The Beatles, The Supremes, Bill Haley and the Comets or countless other bands from the era. Bill loved animals in general, but especially our family dogs—Snoopy, Woody and Bosley. He would never turn down an affectionate lick on the face from one of the pups, and they would never turn down a scratch behind the ears or belly rub. Bill had a lifelong love of aviation and airplanes. He had model aircraft, flight manuals, videos, apparel and just about everything you can think of related to airplanes. I remember him listening to Air Traffic Control on the radio, watching planes take off and land at the airport, and viewing cockpit videos online. One of my fondest memories was when he came to visit me at college and I took him flying over the Athens, Ohio countryside in a Cessna 172.
Bill was a hard-working, no-nonsense guy, but also a kind and loving family man. He is survived by his wife Katie, daughter Kathy (Steve), grandson Eric (Kari), grandson Mike (Halle) and great-grandson William. Bill is predeceased by his father William, his mother Camilla and his sister Diane.
Bill, may you always have an abundance of altitude and airspeed. We miss you and love you. Blue skies and tailwinds!
A memorial service will be held at Dr. Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4470 Ridge Rd, Brooklyn, OH 44144 at 2pm on October 20, 2024. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to your local animal shelter.