Charles Edward Thomas

Charles (Chuck) Thomas, 91 years old, passed away on May 19, 2025. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Virginia Mary (O’Reilly) Thomas, his daughters, Teri (Thomas) Bissonnette of Lake City, MN and Valerie Thomas (Roger Barth) of Los Angeles, CA, and his grandchildren, Sullivan Barth of Washington, DC and Harper Barth of Brooklyn, NY.

The Thomases are descendants of John Thomas, a settler from Wales, who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in 1610. Born in the rural town of Cadiz, Kentucky, Charles was the middle of three boys. Once the family moved to Louisville, Chuck returned every summer to work on his relatives’ farms.

Chuck attended the University of Louisville, where he got a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He worked throughout his years in college but still found time to be on the fencing team and to play saxophone in the marching band, playing many times at the Kentucky Derby.

When his work brought him to New York, he had a choice of fencing clubs, deciding on Salle Santelli in Greenwich Village, the one that allowed women to be members. There he met Virginia “Ginny” O’Reilly, whom he would marry in 1965. Together they raised two daughters and spent a lifetime in love.

The family moved to Columbia, MD in 1971. Chuck and Ginny lived in the same house ever since and were deeply involved in the community.

In his 30-year Department of the Army career, Chuck was the Director of Personnel, first in the New York field office, then at Walter Reed Hospital, and finally, at the Pentagon. He enjoyed a long retirement: playing tennis and racquetball; gardening (chasing away groundhogs); and driving for Neighbor Ride.

Chuck had two other volunteer roles that made a positive impact on people in his community. He served for 10 years as the President of the Howard County Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, where he was a tenacious lobbyist for the rights of federal workers, both at the state and federal level.

Also, for 10 years, Chuck served as the President of the Candlelight Society. He was passionate about classical music, and he enjoyed playing a role in bringing talented musicians from all over the world to perform in Columbia.

Chuck was known for his clever jokes, often delivered with a straight face. He never lost his sense of humor, keeping residents and the staff at Vantage Point entertained over the last three months.

Chuck loved being a father and a grandfather. He was a kind, loving influence for his grandchildren. He and Ginny visited them frequently in Los Angeles. They took their daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren, on trips to San Diego, Hawaii, Cancun, New Orleans, Las Vegas, New York, Boston, and on the Coast Starlight train from L.A. to Seattle.

Chuck was calm, thoughtful, and kind to all. He will be missed by everyone who knew him.

A Celebration of Life will take place in late summer. We invite friends and family to add memories on www.dignitymemorial.com, and check for an update on the Celebration of Life.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in any amount may be made to the Residences at Vantage Point Foundation for Memory Care programs and equipment, by going to www.vantagepointresidences.org, clicking on Foundation, and then Donation.