Tomas Vasquez Colón

Tomas Colon lived a life full of challenge, love, salsa music, laughter and late nights at the dominoes table. He was known to consume a Corona or two without much encouragement. Even when his youth faded and his strength diminished, he loved to show off his dance moves with a grace and grit learned over many years.

Tomas was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico on June 11, 1936. His mother, Juana Vasquez, passed away after giving birth to his sister Miriam. Tomas and his younger sister, Miriam, were orphaned when Tomas was nine. He grew up fast and learned to fend for himself, qualities that endured. He left Puerto Rico for New York when he was twenty, like so many of his generation. He worked many jobs, though his proudest were his years working for the Brandeis High School on the upper West Side of Manhattan.

He married Carmen Maria Berrios and had two beautiful daughters, Melinda and Jenny. He loved his girls, and he loved to share stories of their adventures in New York. Saturdays watching old Westerns and cartoons became a ritual. He especially loved Daffy Duck—pato loco.

In 1977 Tomas moved to California with Carmen’s extended family, spending years working in construction before settling in as a proud member of the SF Culinary, Bartenders & Service Employees Union at the Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf Hotel in San Francisco. He survived a difficult open-heart surgery at Stanford University in 1994.

Tomas loved each of his seven grandchildren, making each feel unique in his own playful way. For seven years he lived with Melinda and her family, never failing to share a laugh--or scraps with the family dog, Lucy.

Tomas will be deeply missed by his devoted wife Carmen, by his daughters Melinda Richard and Jenny Mares, by his two sons-in-law, Patrick and Tony, and by his grandchildren, Bobby, Aidan, Ysabella, Liam, Nora, Anthony and Diego. The family is grateful to the caregivers at Pine Ridge Convalescent Center, and to his roommate, Ken Burgess, who befriended Tomas when he most needed a friend. Services will be held at St. Isabella’s Catholic Church at noon on Saturday February 11, with a reception at the family home to follow.

Arrangements under the direction of Keaton's Mortuary, San Rafael, CA.