On April 11, 1964, Ollie Jonia Thomas Jr was born to Ollie Thomas Sr. and Connie Thomas in Southeast Washington DC. Two years later Ollie’s younger brother, Michael Thomas was born completing their family.
Ollie would spend the majority of his early years in the DC area. They eventually moved to Largo, Maryland where he attended Largo High School. Throughout High School, Ollie was in the ROTC program which was a strong influence to his future career.
On October 4, 1982, Ollie enlisted into the United States Air Force, active duty service. He chose to join the field of Tactical Aircraft Maintenance, in which he would achieve the position of an F-16 Crew Chief. Throughout his career, he led a team of maintainers to ensure one of the most lethal fighter aircrafts were always mission ready. During his first assignment in the air force, while stationed overseas to Torrejon Air Base, Spain he met his first wife, Connie. Their marriage introduced his children John, Stephen, and Tiffany to his world.
In 1988, they moved to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, during that time Ollie would deploy to several tours in the Middle East, including Operation Desert Storm and a 1-year tour to Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. In 2000, Ollie and his children re-located to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. Aside from his duties in the Air Force, Ollie held a job as a bagger at the base commissary, this would lead to him meeting the love of his life, Gina and her two children, Bryan and Carmella. On February 13, 2001, Ollie & Gina married.
In 2002, Ollie was honorably discharged from twenty years of devoted military service. He relocated his family to Hampton, Virginia in 2003 where he held multiple jobs from being head of security for Lockheed Martin, working with USAA, Farmers Insurance, and even Uber. During his time in Virginia, Ollie would battle multiple heart surgeries and the diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2014. The fighter that he is, Ollie combated these challenges head on and sent his cancer into remission. Finally, in May of 2019, Ollie would fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a truck driver. Ollie would travel all across America in his big rig which he proudly named Clara. Unfortunately, the cancer re-emerged spreading to his spine. Ollie went through multiple chemo therapy treatments but despite all efforts Ollie succumbed to his battle on the 19th of November 2020 with his wife by his side.
He leaves behind his wife, Gina Thomas; five children, John Thomas (Imelda), StephenThomas (Erica), Tiffany Reinhart (Gaelan) Bryan Thomas, Carmella Thomas; and eight grandchildren, Jaylon, Julian, Jaxson, Jonathan, Cody, Jamison, Oliva, Amelia.
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