Joseph W. Thomas

Joseph “Joe” William Thomas died Monday, November 22nd at the age of 83 in his residence in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Survivors include wife, Mary Louise Thomas “Mary Lou” of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Sons, Matthew (Rachel)Thomas of Markle, Ind., Andrew (Devin) Thomas of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Grandchildren, Sage, Drew, Hudson and Weston. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, William and Josephine Thomas; sister, Marion Bonner; and twin brother, James Thomas. Joe was born on April 11th, 1938 in St. Joseph Michigan. His family moved to Fort Wayne in 1948 when his father purchased Ridge Co. Auto Parts. He graduated from South Side High School in 1957 and attended Purdue University. Joe then returned to Fort Wayne and joined his father and brother in the family business. He spent the remainder of his career in the automotive aftermarket. Joe remained the active CEO of Ridge Fort Wayne Co. Inc until his passing. He along with his father, brother, sister, wife, and sons grew the family business to include 14 NAPA Auto Parts stores and a real estate company. Family, faith, and work were his passions. Joe was a member Trinity English Lutheran Church where he was united in marriage to Mary Louise Koehler on July 13th, 1963. Their children, Matthew and Andrew, joined them in the family business after graduating college and worked alongside him every day. He was a driven and compassionate person who would help family, friends, and strangers in need. In is free time Joe was an avid reader and had a special love for dogs and horses. He especially enjoyed traveling through the region attending both his granddaughter’s High School and Junior High School rodeos. Mary Lou, his bride of 58 years, was the love of his life. Funeral Services will be at 1:00 pm Sunday, November 28th, with visitation one hour prior beginning at noon, at D.O. McCombs & Sons, 8325 Covington Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46804. Burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park, with a reception immediately following at Fort Wayne Country Club. Friends and family will also be received from 2p-5p on Saturday, November 27th at D.O. McCombs & Sons. In lieu of flowers, preferred memorials to Trinity English Lutheran Church. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.mccombandsons.com for the THOMAS family.