Eldred Thornton “Tommy” Thomas
Eldred Thornton “Tommy” Thomas of Medina, Bellevue insurance broker and civic leader in Bellevue and Medina for many years, passed away Wednesday, December 1, 2010 in Bellevue Pleasant Retreat Two from progressive peripheral neuropathy. He served as Medina councilman and Mayor during the city’s formative era, and was a familiar figure in Medina, walking the length of Evergreen Point Road and back again each evening with his dog Ginger. Having grown up in arid Arizona, Thomas often related how he felt at age 10 when he first saw the Pacific Northwest on a family vacation. “I wondered, where have they been hiding this country?” He found great enjoyment introducing his own children to skiing, sailing and hiking, skills which they are passing along to his grandchildren.During retirement, he enjoyed visiting his children. Adventures with Anne included travel on the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea in a dugout canoe powered by an outboard, and camping on Kangaroo Island, Australia. When visiting Irene in Fairbanks, he loved excursions on the Riverboat Discovery and soaking in the healing waters at Chena Hot Springs. A lifelong learner, he participated in the Midnight Sun Writer’s Conference and the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and ‘brought down the house’ with a heartwarming Festival cabaret performance of “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”. Thomas was born in Berkeley, California in l920, and grew up in Phoenix. He married Claire Sherman in 1950; they moved to Medina where they have lived since.He is survived by his wife, sons Craig (Susan Scott) of Kailua, HI, and Burke (Barbara) of Eastsound; daughters Elaine Thomas (John Sledd) of Bremerton, Irene Wood (Dan) of Fairbanks, and Anne Thomas of Ban Lung, Cambodia; a niece, Joan Thomas of Los Angeles, and grandchildren, Carissa Taylor (Rob), Jesse, Sarah Rose, Anika and Makenna Thomas, James and Claire Sledd, and Amber and Robin Wood. The family extends deepest thanks and appreciation to Carmen Boboc and her staff Mary, Betsy, Jean and Mele for their loving and devoted care during his final months. They remember him by his initials “E.T.” which he joked stood for “Extra Terrific”. Tommy often told us, “They take very good care of me.” He was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed. The family suggests remembrances to SAILORCAS (sailorcas.org), or other charity of choice.
