Deceased July 30, 2020
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In Memory
Bob Thomases died peacefully with family at home in Rockland County, N.Y., July 30, 2020, after several years of illness. A proud graduate of Amherst, Bob was born in the Bronx and educated at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, N.J. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Joanne Goodman; four children; three grandchildren; three siblings; and many nieces and nephews.
His Amherst activities included a major in physics, soccer, track, WAMF and vice president of Delta Upsilon. We remember Bob’s love of all kinds of music, especially jazz, big band swing, his listening to records, playing sax and washtub bass in DU’s loosely organized band and electric bass. He joined our bluegrass band for a class reunion. Several years ago Bob, Dave Borden ’59 and I enjoyed a memorable tour of the Louis Armstrong house-museum in Queens. We remember Bob as a serious student, working after hours in the physics lab, then reading for recreation almost every night in bed before sleep. Interested in others, Bob was a good and patient listener who got to the point effectively when he had something to say. At our recent reunion, though showing effects of neurological illness, he struggled to converse but wanted to engage and impressed us by working hard to sustain in-depth conversation.
A devoted lifelong horseman, Bob loved riding, hanging out at the stables and communing with the horses.
After Amherst, Bob’s textile processing business established three East Coast factories that provided second chance employment opportunities and mentoring for formerly incarcerated workers. He actively opposed racism, sexism, violence and all forms of injustice. The conclusion to his published obituary echoes Bob’s strong commitment to democracy: “In lieu of flowers, vote!”
Fred M. Newmann ’59