Thaddeus 
I met Thad summer going into junior year. I gave him my number in his year book, and he called me first day of summer. Immediately we were inseparable, and immediately we started getting into trouble. We did everything together, honors classes, took girls out, and I even convinced Thad to come out and try water polo. The first time I went to Thad’s house to meet Carol and Dave, I remember telling Thad your mom’s going to be worried and ask what type of sunscreen you’re using. He said, “Dude!!!! Shut up! No she’s not!” Sure enough 10 minutes into talking around the kitchen island, Carol asked, “Thad, what kind of sunblock are you using?” Of course I started laughing and Thad rolled his eyes and couldn’t hold it in. Carol just looked at us confused and started laughing too! 
Thad went on to earn his varsity letter and become a starter his senior year. In our last game ever, I gave Thad a pass and from 8 meters he threw this shot, I’ve never seen before, a skip lob; the shot ended up going in the cage and Thad’s eyes were in utter disbelief and shock! I’ll never forget that grin. 
Thad brought us all together. He was the connector. I would have never met some of my best friends and life long buddies if it wasn’t for Thad. I’ll never forget him and the lessons we learned together. 
I love Thad
-Michael Robinson

Growing up with the Formal family was a blessing, I knew Thad since our families met back in the elementary school days and beyond. Thaddeus had a way of making you smile and laugh even in life’s most stressful moments. My favorite memory of him was from about 15 years ago, I was in the hospital and being transported from Corona to Loma Linda. As I was being rolled out of ER on a gurney to the ambulance, I looked up and saw Thaddeus standing outside of the emergency room door with his hands in his pockets. He casually waved at me as I was rolled by and said “Hi, Whitney...” (As if it was an every day normal thing to run into each other at the emergency room doors). I looked up and felt as though I was in a dream... I lifted my hand to wave at him, still unsure if  I was dreaming or not. As the paramedics were putting me into the ambulance, they dropped the gurney and it fell to the floor.

The next day, Carol called my mother to share that Thad was at the hospital, had had his appendix removed, and kept on telling her a story and insisting on how he saw me there and the paramedics dropped me outside of the ambulance.  Of course, it was thought that this was a “tall tale.” Come to find out, he had reported the story exactly as it had happened. I will never forget the way he played that night off like nothing was out of the ordinary... that “Hi, Whitney” will always be a memory I cherish and laugh about. 

As I tried to pick a perfect memory I realized that ever since Thaddeus moved around the corner from me he was involved in my life. Every story that I tell, every significant and insignificant moment, and every memory of my childhood involves Thaddeus. It’s been hard looking back at my life but I am forever grateful for the moments we shared together.

I can fill a whole book up with memories but the times that stick out the most were our trips to visit each other in our new lives outside of Norco. My first trip up to Cal Poly we stayed in his dorm, played pool and ping pong in the common area, went hiking, and got to hang out and meet all his new friends. I was lucky enough to visit Thad a handful of times and each trip was memorable. 
I knew Thaddeus would go on to do amazing things and travel the world, but for me to end up in Hawai’i was never in my plan. The moment I told him I was moving, we started to talk about when he would come to visit. When that week finally came I rented a Jeep and we drove all over the island. We jumped off of waterfalls, snorkeled, hiked, and drove to the top of a volcano to watch the sunset and stargaze. That week together meant the world to me. I got to experience and share my new life with my best friend who shared his life with me.

Most people don’t know but we were the most unlikely of friends to start off. I remember coming home from his house and telling my mom that,” I don’t think we will be friends, we don’t have that much in common.” Little did I know Thaddeus had the same conversation with you. Luckily we were both 1000% wrong and  our friendship grew into a brotherhood that will never be broken. I can safely say I would not be the man I am today without Thaddeus.

I love and miss Thaddeus everyday and that will never change. I wasn’t there for his birth and I wasn’t there for his death but I am beyond honored and blessed to part of his dash that separates the two.
Thank you for giving me my Best Friend and Brother.



One of many memories I have of Thaddeus is when he convinced me to watch Lord of the Rings with him. Having no interest in fairytales or fictitious worlds, I had to be convinced. ‘Suspend your disbelief with me’ he said, and at that, I did. One week later, we had watched all three movies, including extended editions, totaling 558 minutes of suspended disbelief. 
Time with Thad was almost like that 558 minutes. An era where life kept going, yet time was almost at a standstill. When sitting in his big red truck with the AC blasting, blues music in the background, and Thad telling stories of high school days or sharing the value of specific comedic bits, time with him was both easy and never boring. 
Being as passionate and genuine as he was, Thaddeus shared opinions and told stories like they were the most important values and experiences on the planet. I often picture his big eyes, animated expressions, and utilization of some picture or physical object for further elaboration when thinking of how stories should be told. It was easy to see what he actually cared about and hard not to gain some appreciation for what he liked. Before meeting Thaddeus, I never thought I would enjoy Lord of the Rings, comedy, blues music, cats, or ice cream as much as I do now.
More than stories and values, Thaddeus shared much of what he had, from fish to time to love, and showed me the value of living sincerely and appreciating the parts of life that have no price tag. 
I will forever hold memories of Thaddeus close to my heart and am grateful for having had such a kind soul in my life. 


Where to start n where to end are not known to me. Each member of the David Formal family are precious and so well loved by our whole family; the David L Johnson family for close to 30 years.   Thaddeus, I first met you and your graceful incomparable  mother, Carol,  while she was pregnant with you; coincidently I was pregnant with your future friend, your brother, David Alexander.  Your wonderfully brilliant Dad, my husband and myself were all veterinarians.  We shared a common bond immediately.  
You and David started kindergarten together n spent the next six years together at the same school n in the same carpool.  You were an outstanding shooting star right out of the gate. Your intense intelligence and insatiable curiosity; thirst for knowledge n answers to everything was abundantly apparent to any person in your presence. You wanted to know n understand it all yesterday.  You were extroverted n happy n electric with energy. 
You and Dave would tackle the most complex topics in the car ride home. From religion to philosophy.  You were both Philadelphia lawyers.  Your teachers, your friends’ parents said you’d find a cure for cancer or some other monumental contribution to society.. so shown your star so brightly.   You had specific food requests n restrictions.  Six plain tacos at Taco Bell.  20 Chicken McNuggets at Mickey D’s. 
You had a headache once being picked up n u said u were so hungry. I said u were hypoglycemic..  what’s that?  Low blood sugar from needing food. So we picked a drive through before going home.  You felt better. Well u just picked up a new buzz word upon pickup. Linda I’m hypoglycemic you’d say n of course soon the other kids in the car pickup up on what u were doing. (Yes manipulating me but that’s ok.). Having three other sons I knew the I’m hungry cry so we’d get food.  
You blessed us through jr HS, HS, Cal Poly and Maritime Academy!  This is not goodbye just a short separation til we are again together. 

I remember one camping trip in particular where our friend group spent the night on the sand dunes of Moro Bay, and he was adamant that he would catch a shark for us that evening. It just so happened that the best time to fish for them was at night. The tide was unusually high, and he was having difficulty casting beyond the break. A lesser person would have given up here, but not Thad, he was determined. Knowing that he needed his clothes for the rest of the evening, he stripped down his pants and briefs, giving us the luxury of viewing two full moons that evening. Though he didn’t catch anything, he came back with that jubilant and infectious laugh we all know and love.  I can’t imagine my time at Cal Poly without him.

Someone asked me what was my favorite character quality about Thaddeus.  Numerous though they are, I particularly valued his unwavering authenticity.  I was never suspicious that Thad was trying to deceive me for personal gain; at the same time, I knew I could trust that he would give me an honest opinion without fear of trying to spare my feelings.  We used to spend long hours into the night debating over salient topics of the day, and our intellectual curiosity would feed on each other. 

Thaddeus was a fierce competitor, a trait I discovered on the unfortunate end of his Ping Pong table. He told me stories of his tennis days, where he would cry after losing a match.  I learned that if he was ever intimidated by an opponent, he would invoke one of his Dad’s favorite aphorisms, “He put’s his pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.” But Thad always showed humility where it was appropriate. He was socially adept and empathetic in this respect, which seemed to stem from his commitment to the Golden Rule. His appreciation for human connection was magnetic and contagious, and I am a better person because he was in my life. Dave and Carol, thank you for raising an extraordinary young man. He will never be forgotten.


Spanning almost three decades of friendship with the Formal family, our “Thaddeus” memories are vast and varied, and always make us smile. There were no mundane days when Thad, the bright, be-speckled, inquisitive, energetic, gravelly voiced little boy was around.One favorite memory began on an average weekday, shortly after elementary school dismissal, when I received a rather odd and frantic phone call from Carol. It went something like this:
Carol: Hello, Kyle! How IS everything? How ARE you?
Me: I’m good, Carol. You?
Carol: Well, how’s Jim? Is there anything I can do for you?
Me: um, Jim’s fine. Thank you, but I can’t think of anything...”
Carol: Is he HOME? Or somewhere else? In the hospital? Can we see him? Can I help?
Me: Jim’s home. He’s fine. What are we talking about?
Carol: Today was my turn to pick up the carpool kids from Lincoln, and I overheard them talking about Jim’s injury.
Me: Oh! That! Yes, he was loading some baseballs into a pitching machine. His chair slipped and he caught his finger on the wheel. He broke his knuckle, but he’s fine.
There was a pause, followed by Carol’s characteristic chuckle, and an audible sigh of relief.  She went on to explain how earlier she had overheard Thad in the backseat captivating the carpool kids with his account of how Jim had “gotten his whole arm mangled and nearly torn off in a pitching machine at the batting cages.”
There were never any boring or ordinary days with Thaddeus in our lives, and we’ll cherish those memories forever in our hearts.
With our deepest love,
Jim and Kyle Cordry
Quote of the Day (credit: Dave Formal) “Reeeeeeeid, did you get Thad in trouble again?” 



So many fun memories of little Thad.  We will never forget him running to our house as a toddler right next door and ending up in the horse stall with Cody! And i couldn't get out there fast enough but Sweet Cody didn't seem to mind the company! 
Also fun times when little Thad would come over still in diapers to sit on the tractor.  Not to mention the trampoline fun and Thad calling for Jessie over the fence from the play house...So much fun! He will be missed. 

Thadeus was a highly intelligent thinker. You could tell when he spoke, it was well processed and never said loosely. I enjoyed our conversations of philosophy. He admired fredrick Nietzsche, specifically. Fredrick Nietzsche has a quote that Thad and I both enjoyed. Nietzsche states "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how".  I think that this quote means that if you have purpose in life than you can endure the difficulties of life. You raised a great son and I'm ever grateful to had the opportunity to spend time with Thadeus. 

Thad rescued some scuba divers out in Catalina! Hero! We were fishing near bird rock and we saw some divers achor up and drop in to scuba. As they were under the water, their boat drifted off the anchor point and drifted out to sea. We watched it all happen. Finally one of the divers came to the surface and Thad drove the dinghy to him and we scooped him up. He was so willing to help those guys, i was scared and way more reluctant to help. Thad drove the dighy out into open water and waves were crashing over the bow filling up the boat. I was white knuckling the whole time and bailing the water out of the boat with my hands. Pretty much begging to go back. We returned the diver and his buddies to their dive boat. The diver told us he would have been forced to swim for his boat which was already 500 feet away from him. He wouldnt have made it alone Im sure. Thad was a boss that day

One time, I was talking about damped harmonic oscillators. I felt a moment, and I had to pause. I looked around the room and saw 25 students staring at me.  And in that altered moment, I think I said something like, "Don't you feel it?  The wind I mean... that wind that carries us all along." And the only person who understood me was Thaddeus.  Later on, he and I talked about the deterministic unitary flow of wavefunctions.  It meant a lot to me.  

Growing up, our neighborhood looked like something you would only see in movies. We were lucky enough to grow up on a small street with so many kids around the same age. There was always someone to play with and you could always find all the neighborhood kids at one house by the amount of toys and bikes in the yard. I grew up living next door to the Formals. Throughout my childhood, I was either at the Formal’s house or the Formal kids were at my house. Everything we did, Thaddeus would always be tagging along. Although he was the youngest of our group, he was definitely the most curious and grown up. You could tell he really loved and admired his sisters, as he would always want to be with them in whatever we did or wherever we were going. Although the Formals left the neighborhood, we still saw them from time to time and Thaddeus was always welcoming and inviting. The last time I spoke to him was last Thanksgiving. Although he was older, taller, and actually grown up, I still saw that curiosity and wisdom I had seen in him as a child. I have been blessed to know him and will remember him forever. 

I remember when Thaddeus and I reacquainted after college. We bumped into each other at In-n-Out after midnight and Thaddeus quickly became one of my favorite people to talk to. He was a stellar friend. He was brilliant, intelligent, curious, creative, kind, funny, diligent, and understanding. Only good memories with Thaddeus - so much laughter, so many great conversations. My most recent and vivid memories speak to his character. One day we decided to hike in an area I thought I knew well. Yet Thaddeus led me down a new path I did not know existed. It turned out to be one of the toughest yet most scenic hikes. We didn’t prepare with much water and since we were hiking mid-afternoon late this last summer, we both felt and took in the heat. We spent our time lazing around, appreciating nature, and praising the occasional breeze that quenched us from the summer. Each time we stopped, we got lost in half-hour long conversations. I still remember the amazing feeling we had when we finished our hike and slurped water out of a broken water fountain. We laughed about it. 
One other day this summer, we were talking about food and Thaddeus insisted on making me fried chicken. He was proud of his technique and he loved to share - so we planned a day out of it. That day - we cooked, listened to music, and asked random questions to the smart home computer. Taunting the cold machine voice the entire entire time, we laughed a lot. The chicken was excellent. My memories with Thaddeus are full of joy. So much smiling was done with you Thaddeus, so many good conversations. I miss you, I will remember you forever. The time we spent together surely left a positive and permanent impact on me. You were an amazing person.


Thad was a kind, gentle and loving soul. Very intelligent, he had a quick wit and a zest for adventure. My favorite memory of him was from the last 4th of July. Jan and I sat next to him at the table for dinner. We started plying him with questions about what being in the Merchant Marine was like for him. I'll never forget how his face lit up as he entertained us with stories of the places he had traveled, the things he had seen, the people he had met and the new things that he was learning. I got excited for him and even a little bit jealous while listening! I know that he will be sorely missed by his loving family but I hope that somehow he is out there still having his crazy-fun adventures.

I was Thad's academic program advisor, faculty advisor for his senior ME capstone project and Naval Architecture instructor.  I would have had Thad in another class next semester prior to his graduation.

When Thad first came to Cal Maritime, he was a Marine Engineering Technology student...and after talking with him during freshmen orientation, it was clear that his path in life was as a mechanical engineering student, so we changed him right then and there.  In further talking with him, I was impressed that he was a Cal Poly grad and was furthering his education at Cal Maritime.  Thad knew exactly what his plan was.  Normally a student of his stature would try to get through our curriculum as quickly as possible which would be 3 years and a cruise...but not Thad.  Thad was adamant that he spend 4 years here to get the most out of the school he could.  He didn't want to be treated any differently than any other incoming freshmen.  

Because he was a mechanical engineer, I never had him as a student until this year, his senior year.  I knew he was an excellent student from advising him throughout his years, but I wasn't given the privilege to work with him academically until now.  Wow!  Thad is the kind of student we all dream about teaching.  He's smart and works hard toward grasping the concepts.  Acing a quiz or exam was just not enough.  He was inquisitive and curious about the world around him and he was on a path to becoming a great engineer.  While I never sailed on Golden Bear with Thad, I would trust my life to him and sail as his shipmate any day.

Thad, God Bless you, your family and friends and I wish you a calm wind and a following sea until we meet again...

Thad was possibly the best student I ever had. He was incredibly curious, sharp, and insightful. He seemed to have a solid grasp of whatever I was teaching him, but wasn't satisfied with that. He wanted to understand the material in the same way that I did: with depth and intuition that was well beyond the desire to get an A.  Academically, he was the sort of student I wished I had been.

More importantly, I could tell he was of incredible character. He was not only smart, but wise and mature.  He had the admiration and respect of his fellow students, and also of me. I wish I had expressed that to him, but I believe I will always be a better teacher because of him, and I will be forever grateful for that.

Thaddius was a good friend of mine here at CMA. We went on cruise together and that's where we first became friends hanging out after work on the ship. My best memory have with him is when he and a few of our other friends went to have a birthday dinner for me and Thaddius drove us all to the resteraunt. Along the way, we were rowdy and just having a great time together. I was really lucky to have a good friend like him.

I taught Mr. Formal in a physics lab and an electronics lab.  He was an excellent student - a truly rare combination of hard-working, talented, and curious.  His questions, which were numerous, always indicated to me that he had thought a great deal about the subject of his question before asking.  He also was a pleasant and kind person, a pleasure to interact with whether you were his professor or his lab partner.  I think he could have excelled doing anything, and I am very happy to have known him.  My condolences on your loss.  He will be profoundly missed here at Cal Maritime.

I will always remember Thad as the kind and gentle soul he was. I was so lucky to have him light up so many of my childhood memories. I was always so happy to see him at the top of the treehouse looking over the fence to see when he could come over to play. He was there for all those innocent moments that glow like sunshine in our memories. Like seeing who can make the biggest splash in the pool, eating popsicles after hours of swimming, running into the house to avoid missing a second of Gumby, jumping on the trampoline and pretending to be popcorn, playing super smash brothers on the new Nintendo 64 consol, catching baby chickens in the backyard, riding scooters down western ave, going across the street to get a soda from Kevin and Erin's soda machine for 25 cents, playing with hot wheels, and snacking on the endless supply of Oreos, teddygrams and fruit roll ups with him. I will always remember these good times we shared. Throughout these memories he was always so enthusiastic and genuine. He was an absolute ray of positivity in the early years of my life and I hope he knows what an impact he had on my life. He was Thad and that's who he was and he inspired me to just be me. I hope he is now in a place where his soul is at peace.

A memory that will always stick out is from my freshman year (2008-2009) at Norco high on the water polo team. I was new to the school, new to the city, and not the most athletic kid. Thad was just one of the older guys I didn’t really know yet. Polo season had come to a close and I had no intention of continuing with the sport. At the time I felt I was in over my head. Thad talked me out of that mindset. It was random, he stopped me on my way to class and just started a conversation and when the next polo season came up and I said I wasn’t sure I could do it, he corrected me, and encouraged me to just keep trying.  It was a decade ago and yet I never forgot that. I actually owe a lot of my best memories to the fact that he pushed me to not give up on it. I got to know him better later on.  But I kind of like that I barely knew him at that time, only because it shows just how much he reached out and how much Thad truly cared about people and how he touched more lives than anyone could know. I guarantee there’s a million more stories like mine that unfortunately won’t make it on here. But it makes sense. No one, not even all of us combined can say enough that would truly capture who Thad was to all of us. 

I was Thaddeus next door neighbor and babysitter to the Formal kids, they have been family to us, we shared so many fun memories and some not so fun ones. Our neighborhood was filled so many kids 18 in total all around the same age, Thad being one of the youngest.  Little Thaddeus the baddiest as we called him. 

One memory I have of him is how much he loved Ita’s homemade black beans and rice, he couldn’t have enough. To the point that Carol had to learn how to make them and that was one of his welcome home meal she had for him, when he came home from college. For us Cuban Costa Rican’s, that was poor people’s food, for Thaddeus it was caviar. 

My husband enjoyed many long hours of conversations with him, he thought Thaddeus was so interesting and intelligent in the stories he shared. 

Tadeo you will forever be missed, until we meet again. May you be resting in paradise with our Lord Jesus. 

One memory that I have of Thad is when I went squid fishing with him and my brother Jared out of Dana Point late at night. While we had all been on many fishing trips together, none of us had ever gone squid fishing. This was a completely new type of fishing to us. The Humboldt Squid rarely come in near shore in massive groups, however, this year they did (I believe it was 2011), and it was one hell of a time. We had to wear poncho's to protect ourselves from the squid's ink as we reeled them in. I remember the look on Thad's face as he hooked up with his first squid of the night. He was smiling from ear to ear. And then, when the squid came near the boat and started to squirt ink all over him and the boat, he was laughing hysterically. I'll never forget the sound of his laugh, it was a one of a kind, infectious laugh.  That night was a one of a kind experience that I will cherish and will never forget. After the trip, we had calamari for weeks! The picture that I have attached is the only picture from that night....and it was taken when neither of us were ready. While neither of us are smiling in the picture, it is a great photo that always reminds me of one of the many great times I had with Thad.

Thad and I always went fishing together.   As kids our parents would drop us off at Newport to go on cattle boats or we would ride our bikes to local spots in the riverbeds here in Norco. As we got older, thad inherited a bass boat from his friend bruce in which we immediately started taking out to fish the ocean on our own. There is one trip in particular that I will never forget which shows alot about thads character.  As we were fishing the break wall out of los alimitos bay, we saw some shark fins chasing a school of bait fish. I had zero tackle that could bring in a shark, but thad had 2 lures thad would do the trick. We started trolling with me holding my rod in my hand and thad "bravely" put his between his legs. Within 5 minutes my lure gets hit and the fight was on. Since we had light tackle, thad quickly acted and backed the boat up towards the fish so that the shark wouldn't break off as easily. Due to his quick thinking, I was able to get the shark along the boat side. I thought " wow thats a big shark" and told thad lets take a picture and let it go. Thad responded " no way, that baby is comming on board". I argued that he might thrash and mess up the boat, but thad said "ill hold down the head if you hold down the tail". Reluctantly I agreed and we ended up getting the fish on board with out an issue. After a while of holding the shark down, it finally calmed down enough for thad to take a picture of me with the shark (notice that im still holding JUST the tail). Thad showed alot of determination, bravery and his love for fishing that day, and this is how I will remember him. RIP my fishing buddy.

We became part of the Western Avenue family in 1997. Kevin and I were in our 20s when we moved in and being the young new couple, our house became the popular hangout for the 13 kids on the street . All the kids got along so well and were always out playing together. They loved to come to our house and roll down the hill in the front yard. We became fast friends with everyone on the street including the Formals. I remember little Thad in his glasses and messy boy hair. He often had a red fruit punch stained mouth and a grin on his face. He was a happy kid and always respectful and polite. I loved watching these kids play together, like a big family. All the kids attended our wedding and I remember Thad being absent from most of the neighborhood group photos because he was too busy running around the grass area with Steven Martinez. When the Formals moved across town, we were so sad but we always remained family. I got the updates on the kids from Carol on long walks up at the Auburndale track.  She was always so proud of him and I was always in awe of his amazing intelligence!  I am so proud of Thad and all he has accomplished in his life. As I look across the street now at the Formal home, I am overcome with emotions and memories. The hill has been replaced with a planter, but the memories  will remain in my heart forever.  
God Bless you Thad, and rest easy with the Lord 

My first Impression of Thad was that he was a quiet, kind, and extremely bright individual. I didn’t know him very well but he sat by me in our turbines class. I remember always asking him questions because he could explain things to me in a way that made it easier to understand and not once did he seem annoyed at my constant bothering him with questions. His kindness, brilliance, and helpfulness had and will always have a lasting positive impact on my life.  

I never had the pleasure of meeting Thaddeus in person. However, I always heard great things about his great academic integrity from both engineering students on campus, and from school administrators at academic awards ceremonies. I also knew him from stories about his humility in the face of his achievements. Whenever he came up, someone was quick to mention how he believed he didn't want to be recognized for something that he had gone above and beyond to accomplish, because he felt that it was just something that he has wanted to do. I will always remember him not for his place in my life, but for his spirit that was imparted unto me by others. 

I got to know Thad in the Spring 2010 semester in my Mechanical Design Class.  After about a month into the semester, many of the students seemed disinterested, came late, passed out during my lecture.  I understand the class was early in the am, but my goodness.  Thad would always sit in the middle of the second row and always focus on the lecture.  If he didn't understand something or just wanted to know more about a particular topic, he would always stay after class and ask me questions or come to my office.  I was always impressed with his inquisitiveness and thirst for knowledge.  To me, he was the model student.  

I got to know Thad a little more during those office hours.  He told me he already graduated from Cal Poly SLO with a degree in Biochemistry (which impressed me even more) and we chatted about similar research we both did in Bio-related fields.  He told me about his life in SLO and we chatted about some of his plans after graduating and my professional and teaching interests.   

I also  always remember Thad chatting to a ton of different people on campus.  He seemed to be friends with everyone.   He seemed to have an innate ability to engage someone in a conversation.   

I was definitely looking forward to sharing beers with him after he graduated.  He was a student I could have seen myself staying in touch with as a friend after his time at CMA.  He will definitely be missed.



To the Formal Family and Friends,

I was an instructor of Thaddeus at the California Maritime Academy.  I was fortunately to get to know him through classes and later as an informal adviser to some of his projects.  He first impressed me with his remarkable drive for academic success.  He worked very hard on difficult concepts, often taking extra time to come meet with me to ensure he understood them well.  He was always near, if not the top performer, on every exam.

He would always ask me the 'tough' question, which was very good for me.  It showed he really was focused in reaching true understanding of the complex world around us.  Sometimes he would just come to my office with a 'what if' kind of question and we would debate the logic of how to solve difficult problems together.  

His presence on our campus brought the level up as he was always seeking understanding.  He pushed us as much as we pushed him.  We have benefited from him being here at the Academy.  He significantly enhanced the university's environment.

My heartfelt condolences and thoughts go out to you and all that got to share part of Thaddeus' journey.  I'm very glad that I got to be a small part of that journey.

The friendship that Thad and I shared was like no other, we grew up together and the memories I have of him are endless, I never forget the bunk bed Thad had in his room, an L shape pair of beds with a hidden storage area big enough for the two of us to hide. I remember when we were seven or eight, we would sneak into the garage take some cookies from the treasure trove of nabisco boxes and hide under the bed and eat our cookies like we had just won a price. Friends like Thad comes once in a lifetime and I will never forget him, a lifelong friend. Rest In Peace my brother. I love you

   We always got so excited to see Thaddeus the Baddeus . We would yell “Thaddeus!” with big smiles on our faces. He was so sweet and kind. 
   When Brannon and Thaddeus were little, he would call over and they would talk for hours. We always laughed that they had so much to talk about at that age. I think they were about 8 or 9.
   One time, I was driving up Norco Dr and I see a golf cart riding on the horse trail. I thought “ha that’s funny” and when I looked over and it was Brannon and Thaddeus. Little rascals. 
    I last saw him a couple months ago when he came by my mom’s house to meet up with Brannon. We talked for a brief minute before they left. I’m so grateful to have seen them together one last time.  
  
  
   
     

From the moment Thad signed up to play tennis at Norco HS, Coach Gonzalez and I knew we had our #1 player.  Thad set the tone not only for our players, but for opposing players as well.
Thad was everyone's friend, and kept all of us laughing - as well as gasping in awe as he played his singles matches.

Thank you to the Formal family for sharing Thad with us for those years, as well as opening your home to us for our team banquets.

All those memories are priceless.


P1I would like to give my condolence and deepest sympathy to all of the Formal family.  Words can’t express how I feel. I think back and can remember the day Carol told me she was pregnant with Thad. I spent a lot of time at the Formal’s house ,because I was the housekeeper. Cindy the cleaning lady.  I can remember the times when Thad was very young, he would follow me from room to room trying to help clean. I would give him the feather duster, and he would go to town.  One day he told me that his company put prints all over the mirrors . So he, told me , he told them , not to  touch the mirrors. They were all good kids.  I enjoyed having them around, I did get to watch them grow up. Thad was a pleaser.  He always made sure that his room was clean before I got to it. He always put a smile on my face ...


We will always remember Thad as a very intelligent, good looking young man. He had a kindness about him and was always  polite. Last Christmas, when we were visiting the Formals, Thad was home.  We asked him a few questions about what did at the Academy.  As he started telling us about the various aspects of the ships, he realized that he needed more than just words. He went to get his laptop, sat down between us on the couch and proceeded to show us pictures. He explained things with such enthusiasm and detail. We were so happy to see how much he liked what he was studying. It, also, meant so much that he took the time to try to engage us in that aspect of his life. Dave & Carol, we have been friends for a long time. We are very appreciative of the times you have included us in family celebrations where we have had the opportunity to get to know your wonderful children. Thad is now enjoying the peace and comfort of heaven but he will never be forgotten here on earth! 

I have been one of Thad's dental hygienists since he was six years old.  When I first met him, he amazed me with his inquisitiveness at such a young age.  It seemed that he could never get enough information to be satisfied.  I knew he would be extremely successful one day with his passion for education.  It was a privilege to have had the opportunity to know him, take care of his oral health,  and watch him grow up into a brilliant young man. Our entire staff was deeply saddened with the 
news of his passing.  He will be greatly missed by us all.

We got to spend 4th of July with Thad at his home with his family this year.  He animatedly talked with Stuart about the water chemistry involved in ballasts of ships.  He talked about the variety of jobs available with an engineering degree from the Maritime Academy. 
 We saw him play with his two nieces who loved to jump on him.  That is the snapshot we will remember of Thad for years.
Jan & Stuart Krasner

This is how we will always remember Bethany, Katie, and Thad. Our children grew up together. We had many fun parties and get togethers over the years. We were all one big happy family. Now a part of our hearts is missing. We miss you, Thad. Pam and Randy Malchow 

My family had the pleasure of sharing the same small little street in Norco, Ca as the Formal Family. We lived on the top and they lived at the bottom. The neighborhood children grew up together sharing homes, backyards, pools, kitchens, toys, clothes, snacks and so much more. We were there when Thad was born and watched him grow up with the struggle of being the only boy in the shadow of two very strong and sassy older sisters! Thad was his own little personality who got messy and joined in on the fun of the daily shenanigans of the Western Ave Kids Gang. I will forever hold good memories of him as a happy kid who contributes to my own happy childhood memories. 

We lost touch and people grow up. We moved away. And the world gets in the way of meaningful relationships. My hearts prayer through the loss of Thad, is that we can start caring more, praying more, waking up and recognizing those hurting and LOVE MORE. You will be forever missed Thad.

I shared many memories with Thaddeus throughout my first couple years at Cal Poly. One memorable occasion was when I was over at his house and he was having a fish fry. He was dipping fresh fish in eggs, batter, and frying it up on the stove. I was so impressed by his know-how and the food looked great. He fondly told me how much he enjoyed fishing, and I wish I could have gone on a fishing trip with him. He was generous, hard working, highly intelligent, and a joy to be around.  

Thaddeus. 
Thanks for whooping my ass in smash and keeping me humble. 
Thanks for letting me dish it right back when we squared up on the table-tennis court. 
Thanks for listening to my girl problems, even though we both knew I wasn't getting any girls.  
Thanks for kicking me out of your study group cause I was too focused on making jokes... but thanks for also staying up late with me so I could pass that same class. 

I got a lot to be thankful for when it comes to you bud, but your laugh has been echoing in my head since Wallum dropped the news on me... and we both know it can be very distracting. 

I wish I could ask you a few more stupid questions just so I can hear you laugh once more followed by that iconic "duuuuuuude". Love you man and thanks for everything. 

The first time I took Thad fishing he was about 13-14 years old, I'm guessing.  He was reeling in a small bass, about 12-13" long, when all of a sudden a behemoth of a bass came swimming just below the small bass trying to size him up to see if he could eat him.  It was the old big fish, eat small fish in the circle of life.  And sure enough, the big fish tried to eat the small fish and knocked the small fish off the lure and the big fish got hooked on the lure.  Thad exercised skill and patience as he negotiated the big fish to the boat.  He was able to land the big fish and it weighed 11.2 pounds.  After weighing it and taking a few pictures, we gently released the fish back into the lake to swim another day.  It was a quadruple win for all; Thad, myself, the little fish who got away and the behemoth fish who knocked it loose from the lure and was released to swim another day.  It was truly a bass of a lifetime.  A memory of a lifetime for me to see Thad catch his first largemouth bass, the size bass of a lifetime.  Most avid bass fishermen will never land a largemouth bass of that size in their lifetime.  So, hats off to you my friend, until we meet again!  There's another One in the fire with you & me (Daniel 3:25). Absent from the body, present with the Lord.  our friend, Bruce Bidnick

I still remember one night for dinner my family went to Texas Lucy's, that was the night our new neighbors the Formals introduced themselves to us. After that Thad and I became quick friends, going over to each other's houses to play video games and various other hijinks. My fondest memory with him will always be one of his birthdays when he invited tons of friends over, setup 4 TVs in the house, each with an Xbox, cables streaming throughout the Formal house. We all played Halo together for hours, so many people, so much delightful chaos. 

I was a biochemistry major at Cal Poly and met Thaddeus in Alpha Chi Sigma. I was applying to veterinary school at the time, and he would tell me stories about his dad who was a vet. I sometimes felt isolated from the veterinary world as a biochem major, so it was nice to have that connection.

Thad I will always remember the fun times we all had up at the house in placerville during  Cesar Chavez day. Campfires, shooting guns and the dead fly cafe. I also will never forget  the birthday party that you guys threw for me last year. You were such a good friend to my brother and I just want to thank you for bringing joy and laughter into our lives. This evening I was driving down my road and I saw a huge Buck so I rolled down the window and decided to feed it some combos from my truck. It was amazing the buck walked right up to my window and started to eat. It was so peaceful and something let me know that you were ok and that you made it to heaven. You will always be missed and never forgotten. Thank you for being a friend to us all. 

My memories of Thad began as a young boy playing on the same little league team as my son. He was full of energy and talked with a vocabulary beyond his years.  He became a  welcomed face around our home over the years.   Some of my favorite memories were when Thad, Jared and Jake would go fishing and come home and cook their catches.  They would come in sun burned,  filthy, and exhausted yet manically excited talking about their fishing adventure. I made them drop their smelly fish clothes in the garage and they'd head straight to the jacuzzi.  They would try a new way to cook their fish each time.   He was  a  good friend to my boys and very special to my family. 

The last night/memory I have with Thaddeus will forever be my favorite. Me and Brannon were home visiting for family reasons, I remember being bummed and somewhat sad... we were at your house in the garage hanging out and Thaddeus being Thaddeus notices and goes “hey come look at this”.  Me and him walk over to the bushes in front of your house and also to the gazebo, he points out all these Black widow spiders that have taken over and says how he researched them and learned a cool trick, and I was not at all surprised. He continues to bend down, and taps all these black widows on their stomachs and we both watch as they curl up in balls and fall off their webs as a way of “defense“. I was amazed and yet petrified that he had spent so much time doing this and better yet tested if it actually worked haha. I run over to Brannon and Vincent who were in your garage and tell them what just happened, and we all freaked out and were laughing watching Thaddeus do this to dozens of black widows and of course Brannon HAD to do it too haha. For the rest of the night we hung out and talked about life and Thaddeus later on drove me and Brannon home in your barely charged golf cart and I remember being worried that he’d not make it back up your insanely long driveway haha. We both told him we loved him, thanked him for the ride, and told him to get home safe. This is the picture Brannons mom took of us 4 before we went out that night. 

The friendship he gave me, let alone Brannon, is a friendship we both will cherish for the rest of our lives. Thank you for giving us the gift of Thaddeus ♥️ 

Thad was such a nice, sweet, intelligent and funny guy. I remember he used to come over to my house often to do homework with me. I actually knew Thad since junior high, but I didn’t get to know him until high school. He used to play game cube with my younger brothers after homework and he was really good at this Mario soccer game. 
About two years after we graduated high school, he unexpectedly brought tuna fish that he caught over to my home. My mother would ask Thad to bring fish and he really brought it to us that day. That was the last time I saw him. 
Thad, you are greatly missed and I will always remember how sweet and friendly you were to me. 

Thaddeus was an integral part of our son's life and our Cal Poly family; we enjoyed our wonderful times with Thad and Michael's roommates. We gained new family friends through our connection with Thad and we will be forever grateful to be a part of their lives.

Formal Family,

I am keeping you in my prayers during this tough time. Thadd was an exceptional person and amazing friend. He will be dearly missed by so many. 

"Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near.
So loved, so missed, so very dear."


Dave & Carol, we extend our heartfelt condolences. Thad will forever be a little boy in our memories! We are heart broken for you but pray for our Lords comfort and healing for you and the family.   Love and hugs from Beth & Rick Kristensen 

Thaddeus Formal was the best ping pong player in Muir Hall. 
He moved like a dancer, with grace. 
His footwork was impeccable.
His whole body ducked and swayed lightly.
He was concentrated and liked to win. 
He was distinguished. 

He walked with a masculine air about him. 
He seemed strong and healthy, 
and his name was Thaddeus. 
I think he ate at Dickies often, a barbecue place. 
He brought home many yellow plastic cups that said Dickies on it. 
They seemed scattered about the house.

He had a big red truck. 
He wanted it very clean and tidy though.  
He shaved daily, in the early morning.
I heard the faucet turning on and off, 
then I heard him tap his razor on the edge of the sink very loudly.
His desk had little plastic drawers to keep things organized.

We would talk about women together. 
In our tiny bedroom that we shared, 
we would discuss things which felt very private and meaningful.
He would sigh or exhale, and say "duuuuuuuuuuuuude...."
Then the room itself would sigh or exhale with him:
And it would say, "duuuuuuuuuuuuude….." 

Michael told me that Thaddeus was gone. 
I thought of Stephen, 
a friend of mine who was nearly gone. 
I called him that night.
I thought of Thaddeus.
And then I asked for the right words to say. 






AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Thaddeus Paul Formal

24 avril 1992 – 7 octobre 2019

Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Park and Mortuary

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