Julius Collins Thomas III

Julius Collins Thomas III was born on September 18, 1949, to Julius II and Marie Thomas. He grew up in a lively household alongside his siblings Milly, Judy, Grace, Tony, and Lori. A family that shaped his sharp work ethic, bold spirit, endless humor, and tireless creativity.

Julius pursued higher education at the American Institute of Banking in Commercial Lending, Central UMCA College for Political Science, and George Williams College for Political Science. His path ultimately led him to entrepreneurship, where he made a lasting mark on the communities he served.

A visionary developer, Julius owned and operated Chicago Parks Marine Development, where he created and launched the iconic pedal boat and concession rentals at Lincoln Park Zoo. It’s an experience thousands of Chicagoans and visitors have enjoyed for decades.

Alongside his late wife, he owned and operated Park Place Café, a beloved and highly regarded restaurant in Lincoln Park. Their exceptional work and quality of service earned features in Chicago Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, and WGN national news. The success of Park Place Café paved the way for Hyde Park Place Café, Julius’s barbecue restaurant in Chicago, where his culinary vision continued to shine.

Julius later expanded his pedal-boat developments beyond Chicago, opening operations in Encanto Park in Phoenix, Arizona with a business partner, and eventually launching additional pedal boats at Freestone Park in Gilbert, Arizona. Always thinking bigger than the moment, he also helped to create, develop, and lay the track for the park train that became a staple feature of Freestone Park. His children Julia and Julius IV, along with many of their friends, proudly worked there as teens, learning firsthand what hustle and legacy look like.

Julius’s creativity didn’t stop at business. He was a gifted writer and an expressive singer whose voice carried emotion with ease. He wrote songs that held pieces of his heart and poems that captured moments with clarity, spirit, and depth. His writing was as intentional as his laughter — unmistakably his — and one of his poems will be shared with his obituary to honor the way he moved words, and how those words continue to move others.

Behind every accomplishment, Julius carried a humor that could disarm any room and a laugh that traveled unmistakably, distant, and absolutely unforgettable. You often heard it before you saw him, and long after he walked away, that sound stayed with you. It was joy in motion, and everyone who knew him can still hear it.

Julius is survived by his children Nalo & her husband Darrell, Julia, and Julius IV; grandchildren Kaia, Nakia, and Collin; great-granddaughter Aspen; siblings Grace & husband Rodney, Tony, and Lori & husband Floyd; his nieces and nephews Reggie and his children, Amy & husband Reggie and their daughters Zoe and Noelle, Kevin and his children Kevin, Donovan and Autumn, Marcus, and Alex; and countless cherished friends whose lives he touched with loyalty, humor, creativity, and generosity.

His legacy lives on in the parks he built, the memories he created, the words he wrote, the songs he sang, the laughter he sparked, and the family who will forever be proud to share his name!

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