Philip G. Thomas

Philip Gordon Thomas, age 85, of Bowie and most recently Annapolis, passed away Monday, January 29, 2018, at his Annapolis home after a short fight with cancer.  Known to all as “Phil T”, in the two short months since his diagnosis, Phil T was surrounded by his large family and many friends, including in his last days and hours with his attentive sons and daughters.Philip Gordon Thomas was born on October 19, 1932, in Washington, DC.  He was the youngest of four children and the third son of Elijah Clyde Thomas and Sarah Jacquette (Bauman) Thomas. Following the early passing of his mother, Phil T and his siblings were raised in Prince Georges County where he attended a one room school house in Seabrook, Maryland before the family moved to North Carolina.  There he attended High Point High School in the town of High Point. Phil T served in the US Army infantry and artillery during the Korean War and, thereafter, was a proud member of the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans associations.  In recent years, Phil T became an honored member of the Old Guard Association, a fellowship of members of the prestigious US Army 3rd Infantry Regiment, which dates to 1784.Following his time in Korea, Phil T returned to Washington, DC where he met and married Wilma Jean Graves on November 3, 1951, at the Church of the Redemption, Washington, DC.  Together they had six wonderful children, Steven, Sandra, Debra, Karen, Patricia, and Richard, all born in Washington, DC.In 1963, Phil T moved his family to the new Belair at Bowie community in Bowie, Maryland.  Phil T enjoyed a successful engineering career, culminating in his position as Vice President of EG&G, Inc., until his retirement.  While raising their six children in Bowie, Phil T was one of the original Directors of the Bowie Boys & Girls Club.  He also enjoyed coaching sports and was a county baseball and basketball coach for BBGC for many years.  “Mr. Thomas” is fondly remembered by many of his former players and always enjoyed encounters with them in the years after he hung up his spikes. For many years after his active coaching days, Phil T could be spotted in the bleachers watching his many grandchildren continue the BBGC tradition.  A personable and outgoing soul, he loved to be surrounded by family and friends; entertaining, playing cards, telling stories and laughing!Phil T is survived by son Steven Thomas of Bowie, Maryland and his children Kellen (Emily) and Devin; daughter Sandra Ruyter of King George, Virginia and her children John, Krista, and Joseph (Stephanie); daughter Debra Peck (Pete) of Timonium, Maryland and daughter Meghan (Seth); daughter Karen Weikle (Scott) of Bowie, Maryland and children Thomas (Michelle) and Shannon; daughter Patricia Withrow (Tony) of Winchester, Kentucky and children Jennifer and Anthony (Holly); and son Richard Thomas (Karen) of Dover, Delaware and children Trevor and Cassie.  Phil T was the proud grandfather of twelve and great-grandfather of eleven.Phil T was preceded in death by his parents, brother Robert, sister Betty, and brother William.Family will receive friends Monday, February 5, 2018 from 6 to 8pm at Beall Funeral Home, 6512 NW Crain Hwy. (Rt. 3 South), Bowie, MD, where funeral services will take place Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at 11am.  Grandson and Pastor Joseph Ruyter, formerly of Bowie and most recently of Austin, Texas, will officiate. Interment will follow at 12:30 PM at the Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, in Timonium, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to a veterans group of your preference.