- Date Of Birth: June 29, 1947
- Date Of Death: April 12, 2014
- State: Maryland
Thomas, Arnold Lee
Arnold Lee Thomas (1947-2014)
Arnie’s Journey – his Life had many side routes – Husband, Father, Teacher, Mentor and Friend.
Arnie Thomas was a teacher, a traveler, and a story teller. He collected art, listened to an eclectic repertoire of music, and enjoyed a good Belvedere martini. He had a passion for life and relished its journey. He thrived guiding others through their journeys.
He loved reading, planning, and creating. He designed a meditation garden in the backyard with his wife, Mary, and had a gift for imbuing social occasions with just the right atmosphere. He loved challenging his students and the many people he mentored: Be authentic, he told them. Be vulnerable.
He brought joy to his work and treasured home at the end of the day. He would greet Mary with her glass of wine and set out his favorite appetizers – hummus and cheese handpicked from Whole Foods. Friday nights was date night just like it was for Arnie’s parents. Arnie and Mary would be sitting at the bar enjoying each other, and the old or new friends that stopped by to talk. Arnie loved to talk – he didn’t know a stranger.
He enjoyed overnights at the Mandarin Oriental in DC which included a spa treatment, dinner overlooking the Jefferson Memorial and jazz in the Empress Lounge. Arnie was a traveler – he “owned” New York City – it was “his” city. His most recent trip was to Brazil — where he doted on his grandson, Raphael, of whom he was very proud.
Along his journey, Arnie promoted the value of personal growth. He strongly encouraged the idea that there are no accidents in life and that we are called along the path we are meant to be. Arnie was a very spiritual man – he was guided by his faith and inner spirit. He was a modern Renaissance man who was very comfortable with the path his life had taken.
“You are perfect as you were born” was one of Arnie’s mantras. He understood his life’s journey. It began with other people seeing something in him and helping him to achieve success. He believed strongly in paying forward and he wanted to make a difference by helping others see the strength in themselves. He took people where they were and moved them forward. He believed the best way to grow in success and happiness is by helping others.
His life’s journey traveled a route that winded through jobs as a teacher, a head waiter, art gallery owner, and small-business owner. He directed sales and client relationships in leadership roles at LEGI-SLATE, GalleryWatch, and CQ-Roll Call. Most recently he was president and chief executive officer of the A Thomas Group. He served on the board of Running Start, which seeks to inspire and train a new generation of women for political leadership.
Arnie was born in Frederick, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park. He is survived by his wife, Mary E. Crow; son, Matthew; daughter-in-law, Andrea; grandson, Raphael, who called him “Pee Paw”; sister, Gertrude Barnes; mother-in-law, Elaine “Woody” Crow; sister- and brother-in-law, Susan and Dr. Jim Craig; brother-in-law, Rob Crow III; sister-in-law, Pat Bender; and nephew Bayley Craig and niece Elizabeth Craig.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Franklin Lee Thomas and Hjalmar Ernestine Roelke; father-in-law Bob Crow, Jr. and his brother-in-law, Bob Bender.
