Carmel Valley

Michael Lee Thomas (Mike, Raven) was born on September 7th, 1945 to James Bentley Thomas and George-Ann Baker Thomas, and died on June 7th, 2024, at the age of 78. He is survived by his wife, Patty; his sisters, Colleen (Ron) and Donna (Bill); his sister-in-law, Gayle; his children, Luann (Howard), Sean (Nikki), Chad (Liz), Alexis, and Casey; his grandchildren, McCaa, Jack, Riley, Koa, Kelani, and Avery; many nieces and nephews, and his dog Chewy, along with the rest of his family by birth and his family by choice. He was predeceased by his parents and brother, Larry.

Throughout his life, Mike always strove to foster community.

A veteran of the Air Force, one of Mike’s greatest accomplishments was developing and implementing the strategic plan that brought the POWs back from Vietnam after the war. Throughout his professional career, Mike’s aim was to support growth and integrity wherever he worked; for example, Granite Construction Company maintained a spot on the “Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For” list during Mike’s tenure there.

During his career and beyond, Mike felt a strong connection to All Saints’ Day School and assisted in the continued growth and development of All Saints’ to ensure a better future for the next generation. Even in “retirement,” Mike sought opportunities that would allow him to give back and interact with local communities, including his work at Youth Orchestra Salinas (YOSAL), Hartnell Community College, All Saints’ Day School, and the Big Sur Land Trust, among others.

Mike’s deep love of community extended beyond our human community to include all of Life onthis Earth. He was known as Raven in a circle of friends and colleagues who gather on the Earth every Summer to pledge what they choose to offer back to Life during the next solar year.

Mike was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. He was the best of us and will be greatly missed every day, and his actions will continue to inspire us.

His family would like to thank Dr. Michael Galloway, Monique Garcia, NP, and the Natividad Hospital palliative care team for their compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to All Saints’ Day School, Big Sur Land Trust, or YOSAL in his honor.

His celebration of life will be at All Saints’ Day School in the outdoor amphitheater on September 7th 2024 at 3:00 pm. All are welcome.