Artist Robert (Bob) Thomas, 73, of Edgecomb, died April 9 at his home after a long illness.
Bob was born in the Bronx, N.Y. to Robert Joseph Thomas (senior) and Bernadette Thomas, but spent most of his first 18 years in Lebanon, where his father was working. Bob always thought of Beirut as his home town.
After graduating from the American Community School in Beirut and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., Bob worked for a number of major companies, from AT&T and Intel to New Jersey Bell, and Ashland Oil, writing and doing media relations. His work at the Strategic Decisions Group in Silicon Valley led to his consulting with Saudi Arabia about petroleum industry issues.
But in the past 15 years Bob found his true love: art. His photographs, and then his paintings, appeared in galleries in six states, and he was a member of the board of River Arts in Damariscotta, and Water Street Artists at the Stable Gallery, also in Damariscotta. His paintings combined layers of color and texture, influenced by the old walls of Beirut, and the colors of Maine, the state he had grown to love.
Bob leaves his wife, author Lea Wait; stepdaughters, Caroline Childs and husband Kevin, Ali Hall and husband John, Rebecca Wynne and husband Timothy, and Elizabeth Wait and fiance Herman McNeal; eight grandchildren; brothers, Richard Thomas and wife Christine, William Thomas and wife Karen, and Paul Thomas and partner Deb Trocolla; cousins, Anne-Marie Nolin and husband, Robert Adler, Jeanne Nolin, George Nolin and wife Judy, Tom Nolin and wife Judy, and Suzanne Wheat and husband David; and nieces, nephews, other relatives, and his many friends and neighbors in the Maine art and writing communities.
A celebration of his life will be held at 4 p.m., Fri., April 13 at the River Arts Gallery, 241 U.S. Route 1 North, Damariscotta.
In lieu of flowers, donations to River Arts Gallery and Studio, P.O. Box 1316, 241 U.S. Rt. 1 North, Damariscotta, ME 04543 would be appreciated, so others have the opportunity to discover and explore the art Bob loved.
