Stephen A. Thomas

Stephen Alan Thomas passed away at his home in Highland, MD on September 17, 2022, at the age of 74.

Steve was born June 16, 1948 in Washington D.C. to Robert W. Thomas and Emily W. (Smith) Thomas. Steve was the youngest of three boys and is preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers. Robert W. Thomas, Jr. and Lawrence E. Thomas.

Steve graduated from Northwestern  High School in 1966 and soon after graduation entered the United States Air Force. After serving his country honorably, Steve returned to the D.C. area and in 1970 began  a career with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that would span the next 40 years. He retired from the VA in 2010 as Director of Support Services.

Steve was blessed to be a surrogate father to his first cousin, Tara (Smith) Hopkins, whom he raised as a daughter from the age of 9. Tara’s children were his delight and they will always remember him as Grandpa Steve.

Steve loved spending time with his family and friends and entertaining them at his home in Highland. Steve’s laugh was infectious, his sense of humor boundless and when he danced his feet barely touched the floor.  Steve was an avid sports fan and spent many years coaching baseball and football with the local Boys Club of America. Steve was a member of the American Legion Post 41 in Silver Springs, a former member of  American Legion Post 136 in Greenbelt, the Elks Lodge in Rockville and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 7473 in Elliott City where he continued his service to his community and veterans and had many lifelong friends.

Steve is survived by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, including his cousin, Tara Hopkins, her husband, Craig, and their children, Chase and Georgia, as well as his sisters-in-law, Barbara B. Thomas of Jacksonville, FL and Patricia (Pat) Thomas of Chesapeake Beach, MD .

Visitation will be held at Donaldson Funeral Home of Clarksville, P.A., in Clarksville, MD on Sunday, September 25th, 2022, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022, at 12:30pm, followed by burial at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville, MD.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Steve’s memory to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation or a charity of your choice.