Victor E. Thomas Sr.
1925 – 2011

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Victor E. Thomas Sr., 85, of Riverview Ave and Osprey, Florida died Monday in Baystate Medical Center surrounded by his loving family. Victor was born in Springfield and has lived in West Springfield all his life. He was a 50-year faculty member of Holyoke Community College retiring in 2003. He was an educator his entire life and started teaching at the University of West Virginia before moving to UMASS and finally retiring from H.C.C. In addition to being Professor of Math, he was the Dean of Admissions/Registrar and Head of the Math Department at H.C.C. Victor graduated from West Springfield High School and proudly served in the United States Army Air Corps reenlisting twice during World War II. He served the Town of West Springfield as a longtime Town Meeting Member, member of the Town Planning Board and the West Springfield Tax Payers Association. He had a long full life and loved his grandchildren and riding his tractor up "on the hill" Victor's son Charles Thomas died in 1965 and his first wife Frances (Flannery) Thomas died in 1982. He leaves his wife of 18 years Everarda "Eve" (Buhrs) Lane Thomas; two sons Victor E. Thomas Jr. and his wife Kristin of Longmeadow, Christopher Thomas and his partner Rembert Pieper of Washington D.C.; four daughters and their husbands Mary Flagel and Scott of Lake George, NY, Anne Flournoy and John of Travis Air Force Base, CA, Margaret Cechetelli and Tim of West Springfield, and Susan Blanton and Ty of West Springfield. He also leaves his step children and their spouses Thomas Lane and Barbara of Southwick, Suzanne Conrad and Gary of Swisher, IA, Tanya Lane and Richard Willis of West Springfield and Valerie Pelinsky and Jeffrey of Southwick. He also leaves his siblings A. Robert Thomas of West Springfield, George Thomas of Mena, AR, Rose O'Brien of West Springfield and Florence Clemens of Montgomery, AL; his twenty-one grandchildren , Claire, Alex, Ryan, Andrew, Charlene, Emily, Jack, Timothy, Brian, Makenna, Ian, Dana, Sylvia, Adam, Sean, Colin, Natalie, Olivia,Lauren, Michael and Jacob; several nieces and nephews and his devoted dog "Stasha". The family would like to thank the Health Care Workers at Baystate Medical Center for the wonderful care provided. The funeral will be held at the West Springfield Curran-Jones Funeral Home Friday at 9:00am with Liturgy in St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church at 10:00am followed by burial in the Massachusetts Veteran's Memorial Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held at Thursday from 4:00 – 7:00pm. Memorial contributions may be made to thr H.C.C. Foundation Victor E. Thomas Scholarship Fund, 303 Homestead Ave, Holyoke, MA 01040.