John was predeceased by his son, Drew J. Thomas, and his sisters, Elizabeth Riley and Mabel O’Berg.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Jean Theresa Thomas, his daughters, Laura and son-in-law, Thomas R. Pietro, Allison Leonardo and her fiancé, Kevin Foley, son and daughter-in-law, Glenn and Renata Thomas, grandchildren, Justin and Kristina Pietro, Juliette, Adrianna, Olivia, and Robert Leonardo, Taylor and Brittney Thomas, Carolina, Mariana, and John Thomas, and great-granddaughter, Addison Pietro.
John attended St. Francis Preparatory High School and earned his B.S. degree in Accounting from Pace University.
A member of the “Greatest Generation,” John served his nation in World War II, enlisting in the Army in 1943 at the age of 18. He served with the elite 10th Mountain Division’s 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment and attended Ranger School. He deployed in January 1945 to fight in Italy in the Po Valley Campaign for nearly four months, knocking elite German units out of the northern Apennine Mountains breaking a long stalemate in the campaign. They went on to seize key points in the valley in subsequent battles.
Jean and John were married in 1953 and were inseparable their entire lives. John began his career at Wells Fargo and then became a federal employee at the Internal Revenue Service where he remained for his entire career.
John and Jean loved traveling and took many wonderful trips all over the world. They relished many years of friendship and travel with their card group friends who became a second family.
Jean and John were very active in their parish, serving on many committees over the years, and as Eucharistic Ministers at Holy Name of Jesus Church. In good health, they attended mass nearly daily. John served as an altar server from his youth until his 92nd birthday. A fixture in the Windsor Terrace community, John never met a stranger.
Visitation will be held on Friday, February 22 from 6 -9 p.m. at M.J. Smith Sons Funeral Home, 255 Ninth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, February 23 at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 245 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Internment will follow at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY.
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