Michael Thomas
January 19, 1947 — November 8, 2017
Michael Charles Thomas, age 70 years of Niles, Michigan died unexpectedly on Wednesday morning, November 8, 2017 while completing some repair work at his mother’s house in Niles.
He was born on January 19, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio to Charles and Doris Marion (Stoerkel) Thomas. He was graduated from Niles High School in 1965, and attended Southwestern Michigan College. He served in the United States Marine Corps, and was Honorably Discharged as a veteran of the Viet Nam Era. He was a member of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association laborer’s union local #20 in South Bend, and had been employed in a variety of area shops.
Mike was a founding member of Saint Boniface Evangelical Lutheran Church in Niles. He was a great cook with specialties that included Chop Suey and potato pancakes. He was also a talented amateur photographer, enjoyed reading, especially history and politics, and loved animals.
He was first married on March 15, 1974 to the former Susan Ann Hirsch, with whom he celebrated twenty-three years of marriage prior to her death on March 26, 1996. He was also preceded in death by his father, Charles Thomas on July 24, 1963; his mother, Doris M. Hartman on August 1, 2013; and his step-father, Sgt. Maj. James Hartman, USMC, Ret’d. on September 1, 2003.
On June 16, 2001 in Niles he married the former Linda Suzan Zink with whom he celebrated the sixteenth anniversary of their marriage earlier this year.
Surviving family includes his wife, Linda Thomas; and his daughters, Cassandra (& David Head) Thomas of Niles and Melissa Sue Thomas of South Bend, Indiana.
The funeral service for Michael Thomas will be at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home in Niles with The Reverend John Rutowicz of Saint Boniface Evangelical Lutheran Church officiating. Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles and will conclude with Full Military Honors by the United States Marine Corps Honor Guard and American Legion Post #51 of Buchanan, Michigan.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at:
www.halbritterwickens.com