William L. Thomas

William L Thomas age 85, went to be with the Lord on February 11, 2023 while in St. Francis Hospice Care. He was the loving father of the late Richard Thomas and the late Matthew Thomas whom he raised with their mother in Stoneybrook, NY. He was also the loving son of the late Esther Thomas and the late Nicholas Thomas and brother to the late Marie (Thomas) Forth (James Earl Forth) of Philadelphia, PA . He will be sadly missed by his brother Ronald Thomas (Joy Thomas) of Wilmot, PA and his many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

William was born in Philadelphia on May 4, 1937. He was a proud graduate of North Catholic High School in Philadelphia, class of 1955. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1959 at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. Shortly after graduation, he moved to Long Island, New York to start his career as an aeronautical engineer and worked for various engineering firms but mostly worked for The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation. When he was offered a transfer near Melbourne, FL where the company had started a new mission with NASA, he joined the team in Florida. Over the years, he worked on many classified projects which included the development and manufacture of several fighter jets and then the many Apollo missions to the moon at Cape Canaveral.

Bill, in his youth, enjoyed playing basketball, skiing, boating, and constantly working on his cars to enhance their power and efficiency . He had quite a collection of classic and antique cars over the years and enjoyed working on them during his retirement. He was a true fan of the game of baseball and a loyal follower of the NY Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. He truly enjoyed the local minor baseball leagues that had their Spring training games in Melbourne and frequently attended the games.

He relished the Floridian lifestyle and enjoyed the weather, fine restaurants with friends, and many car shows the area had to offer. He hosted many relatives who came to his home to experience Florida as well with its many attractions. He was a devoted son to his aging mother, Esther Thomas and took her into his home and cared for her until her death at the age of 105.

There will be a graveside interment by Dignity Funeral Home at Florida Memorial Gardens, at 5950 S, Highway US #1, Rockledge, FL 32955 on Friday morning at 11 am, on March 10th, 2023. In lieu of flowers, donations to the charity of your choice would be appreciated.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FloridaMemorialFH-Gardens.com for the Thomas family.