Todd Everett Thomas

Todd Everett Thomas, 59, passed away on October 6, 2026. A devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, friend, musician, outdoorsman, and gifted craftsman. Todd lived a life marked by adventure, curiosity, creativity, making people laugh and a deep love for his family.

Todd was born on September 23, 1967, in Rockford, Illinois, to Everett and Edwina Thomas. His childhood was anything but ordinary. Along with his sister, Tracy, he had the opportunity to live in 13 different states and Germany, experiences that helped foster his lifelong love of travel, exploration, soccer and the outdoors. He learned to ski in Europe and developed an adventurous spirit that would remain with him throughout his life.

After graduating from high school in Junction City, Kansas, Todd attended Kansas State University, where he met the love of his life, Jenny Herynk, through the university’s rock climbing club. Their shared passion for adventure became the foundation of a life spent exploring the world together. During his college years in Manhattan, Kansas, Todd learned the building trades and became a fixture in the local music scene as guitarist for the indie grunge band Tuber.

Todd and Jenny’s climbing adventures took them to Boulder, Colorado, and Moab, Utah, before they eventually settled in Boulder. There, Todd worked on the restoration of the historic Hotel Boulderado, developing an appreciation for traditional woodworking and the painstaking craftsmanship required to preserve historic buildings. Todd and Jenny married in 1996, beginning a marriage that would take them across the country and through countless adventures.

After three years in Boulder, they moved to San Francisco, where they spent the next 12 years building a life and raising their family. Their daughter, Samantha, was born in 2002, followed by their son, Heath, in 2004. Todd continued honing his skills as a craftsman, working with Thompson Brooks on the renovation of extraordinary homes throughout San Francisco and Silicon Valley, including properties belonging to Steve Jobs, Dany Glover and Larry Ellison.

Todd believed in caring for the places and communities he called home. In San Francisco, he became actively involved in efforts to beautify Dolores Park, removing graffiti and supporting outreach to people experiencing homelessness.

The Thomas family made the most of their years in California. Weekends often meant trips to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, the Russian River, or the redwood forests. Todd and Jenny introduced their children to the outdoors almost as soon as they could walk, outfitting them with their own climbing harnesses and taking them along on family adventures. Together they climbed, camped, biked, skied, and explored the California coast.

Todd was an accomplished athlete and an enthusiastic student of almost anything that could be done outdoors. He loved mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, surfing, camping, and kayaking. He became particularly skilled at whitewater kayaking, mastering Class V rapids and technical maneuvers. Whether navigating a challenging river or taking in the view from a mountain trail, Todd was happiest outside.

In 2012, Todd and Jenny returned to Kansas with Samantha and Heath. Todd continued his career in construction and renovation, bringing his meticulous craftsmanship to residential and commercial projects throughout the Kansas City area, including work at Boulevard Brewing Company, the Stockyard, and Amigoni Winery.

But some of Todd’s most meaningful projects were much closer to home. His handiwork can be found throughout his neighborhood, where countless friends and neighbors have a deck, a renovation, or a special project that bears his unmistakable touch. Todd was generous with both his talent and his time, always willing to lend a hand and put his skills to work for someone else.

Music remained an important part of Todd’s life. Over the years, he expanded his talents to include acoustic guitar and mandolin and even built a music studio in the family basement. Some of his happiest moments were spent there, making music and jamming with Samantha and Heath.

Todd was deeply involved in his children’s lives, from coaching soccer to volunteering with his son’s Boy Scout Troop 284 and helping with high school parades. He loved spending time on Clinton Lake, especially boating with Jenny’s brothers, Matt and Jamie. He also took up disc golf and competed in the demanding Missouri River 340, a 340-mile paddling race across Missouri, in 2015 and 2016.

Through it all, Todd never lost his desire to see what lay beyond the next bend in the trail. The family continued to travel, spending winters skiing in Breckenridge where his parents lived and exploring some of America’s most beautiful national parks. Some of his favorites were backpacking through the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, exploring Bryce Canyon, and hiking Angels Landing in Zion National Park.

Among all the places Todd loved, Yosemite held a special place in his heart. He loved nothing more than lying in the meadow beneath the towering granite face of El Capitan, watching the climbers make their way up the rock. It was a place that brought together so much of what he loved: the beauty of the natural world, the challenge of adventure, and the simple pleasure of being present in a remarkable place.

Todd will be remembered for his adventurous spirit, his creativity, his ability to make people laugh, his extraordinary skill with his hands, his love of music, and the countless ways he shared those gifts with others. He built and restored beautiful things, but his most enduring legacy is found in the family he loved, the friendships he made, and the lives he touched along the way.

Todd is survived by his wife, Jenny; his daughter Samantha Thomas of High Point, North Carolina; son Heath Thomas of Salina, Kansas; parents Everett and Edwina Thomas; and sister Tracy Auton and her husband, David, all of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He is also survived by nieces Rachel Deutsch and her husband, Timmy, and their son, Hans; Elaina Tango-An and her husband, Christian, and their daughter, Hazel; and Jenna Auton, all of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. He is also survived by his his wife’s sister Katie, of Topeka, Kansas; brothers-in-law James and Matt, of Lawrence, Kansas; nephew Luke, of Raleigh, North Carolina; and niece Emma, of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Todd also leaves behind Angus, his shaggy faithful companion and best friend since 2014.

A celebration of Todd’s life will be held Monday, October 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Lake Shelter #4.