Eric Grant Thomas

It is with deep sadness that the family of Eric Thomas announces his peaceful passing at home in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 5, 2026, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 68.

Eric was born on November 25, 1957, in Westmount, Quebec, to his mother, Thelma Doris Thomas. He spent most of his childhood in Montreal before moving west to Vancouver, where he attended John Oliver Secondary School. Eric left school in Grade 10 to begin working full time at the newspaper plant in southeast Vancouver.

In his younger years, Eric worked throughout Alberta in a variety of jobs, including moving, seismic work, and in dynamite mines in northern Alberta. He spent much of the 1980s working across Alberta before eventually returning to Vancouver with his mother, Thelma. They settled in a quiet neighbourhood in Hastings-Sunrise on Pandora Street, where two of his children, Shannon and Dylan, were later born.

Through the late 1980s and into the mid-1990s, Eric worked in Vancouver’s downtown bar scene at several well-known establishments. During this time, he met and later married his (now former) wife, and welcomed two of his children, Dylan in 1993 and Shannon in 1996. In the 1990s Eric also worked as an HP salesperson and computer technician in Vancouver.

By the mid-2000s, Eric had become a car salesman, working at several GM dealerships across the Lower Mainland. His favourite location was Wolfe Chevrolet on Boundary Road, where he remained until the dealership closed in 2008. Although he did not return to car sales afterward, Eric remained a lifelong car enthusiast and owned and worked on more than 30 vehicles throughout his life.

In September 2008, Eric welcomed his beloved son, Sean Wyatt Thomas. Tragically, Sean later passed away in 2015 at the age of seven after a four-year battle with leukemia.

Eric spent the later years of his life quietly at home, always with his daughter Shannon close by. In his final months, he was lovingly cared for at home by Shannon, her partner Gary, and his granddaughter Kaitlynn. Even toward the end, Eric could often be found working under his old Tahoe, determined to make sure his girls would always have a safe and reliable vehicle.

Eric was known for his independent spirit and strong work ethic. He spent much of his life working with his hands and took pride in being able to fix or figure out almost anything. Those who knew him best remember his deep love of cars, his determination, and the quiet way he showed care for his family through the things he did for them every day. Family meant everything to Eric. He was a devoted father and grandfather who cared deeply for his children and grandchildren. Despite his sudden illness, he remained strong and determined until the very end.

Eric is survived by his children and grandchildren: his son Dylan Thomas; his daughter Shannon Thomas (Gary) and their daughter Kaitlynn; and his daughter Natalie Proulx-Dubé (Jeff) and their children Adina, Sadie, and Dawson. He is also survived by numerous dear cousins.

Eric was predeceased by his brother, John Robert Thomas (2011); his mother, Thelma Doris Thomas (2015); and his beloved son, Sean Wyatt Thomas (2015).

He will be very fondly remembered and deeply missed by his family and friends, and by all those whose lives he touched over the years.