Obituary of Robert J. Thomas

Artist Robert (Bob) Thomas died April 9 at his home in Edgecomb after a long illness. He was seventy-three years old. Bob was born in the Bronx, New York to parents Robert Joseph Thomas (senior) and Bernadette Thomas, but spent most of his first eighteen years in Lebanon, where his father was working. Bob always thought of Beirut as his home town. After graduating from the American Community School in Beirut and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, Bob worked for a number of major companies, from AT&T and Intel to New Jersey Bell, and Ashland Oil, writing and doing media relations. His work at the Strategic Decisions Group in Silicon Valley led to his consulting with Saudi Arabia about petroleum industry issues. But in the past fifteen years Bob found his true love: art. His photographs and, then his paintings, appeared in galleries in six states, and he was a member of the board of River Arts in Damariscotta, and Water Street Artists at the Stable Gallery, also in Damariscotta. His paintings combined layers of color and texture, influenced by the old walls of Beirut, and the colors of Maine, the state he had grown to love. Bob leaves his wife, author Lea Wait, four stepdaughters, Caroline Childs and her husband Kevin, Ali Hall and her husband John, Rebecca Wynne and her husband Timothy, and Elizabeth Wait and her fiancé, Herman McNeal, eight grandchildren, and his brothers, Richard Thomas and his wife Christine, William Thomas and his wife Karen, and Paul Thomas and his partner, Deb Trocolla, and his cousins Anne-Marie Nolin and her husband, Robert Adler, Jeanne Nolin, George Nolin and his wife Judy, Tom Nolin and his wife Judy, and Suzanne Wheat and her husband David. He also leaves nieces, nephews, other relatives, and his many friends and neighbors in the Maine art and writing communities. A celebration of his life will be held at the River Arts Gallery (241 U.S. Route 1 North in Damariscotta, Maine on Friday, April 13th at 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to River Arts Gallery and Studio, Post Office Box 1316, 241 U.S. Route 1 North, Damariscotta, Maine 04543 would be appreciated, so others have the opportunity to discover and explore the art Bob loved.