Obituary for Wallace Conway "Wally" Thomas
Wallace C. Thomas, age 97, of Newtown died peacefully in Danbury Hospital on March 20. Wally was born in Bridgeport in 1923 to the late Irvin F. Thomas and Mildred (Howe) Thomas.
He was a WWII Veteran serving in the Army Air Corps.
He met the love of his life, Dorothy Krnyaich, in Bridgeport, where she had moved, having grown up in Ohio. They married in 1945. After his discharge from the Air Corps, he worked as a Tool & Die Maker for Jenkins Valve before joining the Bridgeport Fire Department. He served the City of Bridgeport from 1950 until 1977. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant, while assigned to Engine 16. He also operated Curtis Venetian Blind Company with his partner, William Tickey, for twenty years.
Wally and Dot enjoyed traveling and camping, raising their children to enjoy the outdoors, camping out in tents before switching to travel trailers, boating and water skiing, snow skiing, and enjoying mini bikes and motorcycles. After retiring, they especially enjoyed towing their Airstream trailer on trips throughout North America, as far north as Alaska, and south to Mexico City. They would spend winters in their Airstream, first at Land Yacht Harbor, in Melbourne, FL, then at Paradise Park, in Punta Gorda, FL. After Dot’s passing, Wally sold the Airstream, and bought a winter home in Hobe Sound, FL
He was a member of Bridgeport Area Retired Firefighters and was active in the Wally Byam International Airstream Club, serving a term as President of the Berkshire Unit.
He is survived by his four children, Terrence Thomas and wife Carolyn, Judith Banks and fiancé Donald Ragozzine, Timothy Thomas and wife Carolyn, and Wallace Thomas Jr. and wife Barbara, his brother Leroy Thomas, two sisters in law, Jean Thomas and Nancy Joseph, eight grandchildren, Terrence Thomas Jr and wife Michelle, Mara Ketchum, Brian Banks and wife Karen, Jaime Richards and husband Paul, Christopher Thomas, Timothy Thomas and wife Lindsay, Allison Thomas, and Emily Thomas, twelve great grandchildren, Terry Thomas III and wife Mackenzie, Brianna Thomas, Alex Thomas, Annika Ketchum, Ava Ketchum, Gage Ketchum, Kali Banks, Josselyn Banks, Jonathan Richards, Andrew Richards, Mackenzie Thomas, Lauren Thomas, one great, great grandchild, Avery Sue Thomas, and many nephews, nieces, and their children and grandchildren. Besides his wife and his parents, he was predeceased by sisters, June Fielding, Mildred Thomas, Shirley Hanson, and Millicent Wargo, a brother, Irvin Thomas, and son in law, Dennis Banks.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday March 25, 2021 at 10:00am in the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown. Interment with full Military Honors at Newtown Village Cemetery will follow. Calling hours will be Wednesday March 24, 2021 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bridgeport Firefighters Sick and Death Benefit Association, Bridgeport Fire Headquarters, 30 Congress St, Bridgeport, CT 06604.
He was a WWII Veteran serving in the Army Air Corps.
He met the love of his life, Dorothy Krnyaich, in Bridgeport, where she had moved, having grown up in Ohio. They married in 1945. After his discharge from the Air Corps, he worked as a Tool & Die Maker for Jenkins Valve before joining the Bridgeport Fire Department. He served the City of Bridgeport from 1950 until 1977. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant, while assigned to Engine 16. He also operated Curtis Venetian Blind Company with his partner, William Tickey, for twenty years.
Wally and Dot enjoyed traveling and camping, raising their children to enjoy the outdoors, camping out in tents before switching to travel trailers, boating and water skiing, snow skiing, and enjoying mini bikes and motorcycles. After retiring, they especially enjoyed towing their Airstream trailer on trips throughout North America, as far north as Alaska, and south to Mexico City. They would spend winters in their Airstream, first at Land Yacht Harbor, in Melbourne, FL, then at Paradise Park, in Punta Gorda, FL. After Dot’s passing, Wally sold the Airstream, and bought a winter home in Hobe Sound, FL
He was a member of Bridgeport Area Retired Firefighters and was active in the Wally Byam International Airstream Club, serving a term as President of the Berkshire Unit.
He is survived by his four children, Terrence Thomas and wife Carolyn, Judith Banks and fiancé Donald Ragozzine, Timothy Thomas and wife Carolyn, and Wallace Thomas Jr. and wife Barbara, his brother Leroy Thomas, two sisters in law, Jean Thomas and Nancy Joseph, eight grandchildren, Terrence Thomas Jr and wife Michelle, Mara Ketchum, Brian Banks and wife Karen, Jaime Richards and husband Paul, Christopher Thomas, Timothy Thomas and wife Lindsay, Allison Thomas, and Emily Thomas, twelve great grandchildren, Terry Thomas III and wife Mackenzie, Brianna Thomas, Alex Thomas, Annika Ketchum, Ava Ketchum, Gage Ketchum, Kali Banks, Josselyn Banks, Jonathan Richards, Andrew Richards, Mackenzie Thomas, Lauren Thomas, one great, great grandchild, Avery Sue Thomas, and many nephews, nieces, and their children and grandchildren. Besides his wife and his parents, he was predeceased by sisters, June Fielding, Mildred Thomas, Shirley Hanson, and Millicent Wargo, a brother, Irvin Thomas, and son in law, Dennis Banks.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday March 25, 2021 at 10:00am in the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown. Interment with full Military Honors at Newtown Village Cemetery will follow. Calling hours will be Wednesday March 24, 2021 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bridgeport Firefighters Sick and Death Benefit Association, Bridgeport Fire Headquarters, 30 Congress St, Bridgeport, CT 06604.