George Gilbert Thomas
1924 - 2003

A memorial service and reception for Santa Fe, N.M. resident George Gilbert Thomas Jr., 78, 
will be held on Aug. 4 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe at 11 a.m.

Born to George and Cuba Thomas in Seneca, Miss. On Aug. 4, 1924, Mr. Thomas died on June 29, 
2003 in Fullerton of complications arising from Alzheimer's disease.

After moving with his family to Bell in 1940, George graduation from Bell High School and 
received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Zoology from the University of Southern 
California.  

George worked for 31 years for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, much of the 
time as a field water biologist in the Sanitary Engineering Division.  He monitored the 
quality of the water supply from Owens Valley, and worked here extensively.

He contributed to the original research and worked on behalf of the department in assessing 
the impact of its activities on Mono Lake in terms of water level and salinity.  George 
loved the Sierra Nevada and Owens Valley and became a member of the small community at 
Whitney Portal, where he built a cabin in the early '50s.

Upon his retirement in 1979, George moved to Santa Fe.   He contributed to the Santa Fe 
community through numerous activities.  He joined the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of 
Santa Fe; the Fellowship soon moved to it present location, becoming the Unitarian 
Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe.

He served on the boards of the Santa Fe Symphony and the Santa Fe Concert Association, 
participated in the program of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Santa Fe, helped with the 
operation of the St. Elizabeth Shelter and gave many hours to the operation of a food bank 
that served many families in the area.  He received official recognition for his volunteer 
activities from Unity through Volunteerism, State of New Mexico and Governor's Office of 
Volunteer Services.

George had wide-ranging interests, including a deep and abiding love of the natural world.  
He explored many areas of the southwest mountains, canyons and plateaus on foot and by off 
road vehicle.  George joined Georgie White on her last rafting trip down the Colorado River 
through the Grand Canyon before the gates of the Glen Canyon Dam were closed and the river 
"tamed."

He was an avid reader, skier, bicyclist, traveler, opera-goer and theater-goer and lover of 
great music.  His reading interests had almost no limits; they included philosophy, 
literature, culture, music and fine arts, history, politics, Eastern religions and science.  
His reading enriched his many world travels, including a Trans-Siberian Railroad trip more 
than 20 years ago and trips to Nepal in recent years.

George also loved good wine and had a reputation as a gourmet cook.

He is survived by sisters, Helen Zike of Long Beach, and Dorothy Babcock of Buena Park; 
nieces, Tracy Valenzuela and Susan Babcock; and five nephews, Paul, Bruce and Donald Zike, 
and Tom and Scott Babcock.

In Lieu of flowers, donations in George's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 
New Mexico Chapter; the Unitarian Universalist Endowment Fund; or the St. Elizabeth Shelter.

The Inyo Register, Bishop, Inyo County, California
Tuesday, July 29, 2003 - Page A2
Transcribed by Pat Houser for Inyo County GenWeb, October 23, 2004