Jeffrey Thomas

Jeffrey Robert Thomas entered eternal life on December 8, 2020. Jeff was born December 14, 1954, in East Cleveland, Ohio, to Robert "Bob" Thomas and Marcia Pickering Thomas. Raised in Burton, Ohio, he the second of 5 children - firstborn Cindy and, following Jeff, Greg, Joyce and Janice. When he was three, his family moved to a farm where he enjoyed growing up: working hard on chores, participating in 4-H, playing saxophone in the marching band, teaching himself the piano, playing basketball, and being part of the Ohio State Championship Square Dancing as the caller. When he was 17, he and his family moved back to town. He graduated Salutatorian of the Berkshire High School Class of 1973. He received several scholarships and attended Ashland College (now University), where he met the love of his life, Lorene "Lorrie" Considine. He was President of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and graduated in 1977 with a BS in Comprehensive Science. He later attended Cleveland State University, receiving a BS in Physical Therapy in 1984. He and Lorrie were married on May 23, 1981. After working at MetroHealth, he and Lorrie moved from Cleveland Heights to Hudson, Ohio, where their daughter Colleen and son Brendan were born and raised. He loved being a father and husband. Jeff was a favorite of his patients, working closely with them to achieve their physical therapy goals, employing Feldenkrais awareness through movement. As he noted of his career as a physical therapist, "I have touched thousands of lives and thousands of lives have touched me," adding, "Everyone has some wisdom to share." Over the years he worked at several healthcare systems, retiring from Akron General after 16 years in May of this year. He enjoyed taking his family to the Geauga County Fair every year; attending his daughter's dance recitals (known as "Papa T" to her dance friends) and his son's sporting events; playing golf; being frustrated by the Browns; watching old westerns; reading theology and philosophy; writing letters, poems and songs, including one for his daughter's wedding; playing the piano; gardening; walking the family dog, Rex; showing off his dance moves; relaxing by a backyard fire; going wine tasting with his wife, adult children and their spouses; teasing friends; sharing puns; and spending time with the Thomas and Considine families and friends in the neighborhood. He considered himself a blessed man. Jeff was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents; his mother- and father-in-law Dorothy and Paul Considine; sister-in-law Debbie Thomas; brothers-in-law David Francis and Gary R. Johnson; and cousin Danny Pickering. His legacy lives on through his wife of 39 ½ years Lorrie; his children Colleen Daubert (Tom) and Brendan (Hannah); siblings Cindy McGill (Terry), Greg (Yvonne), Joyce, and Janice (Brian Stafford); brother-in-law Kevin Considine (Martha), sisters-in-law Jean Considine and Joan Johnson, and bonus sister-in-law Becky Brower; Uncle Gary Pickering (Anne); cousin Jeff Pickering (Shannon); nieces and nephews Shannon Kuznia (Thom), Stefani Schutz (Patrick), Alec and Jared Bost, Bryan Layne, Mandy Layne Tobin (Spencer), Dylan and Walker Stafford, Erin Walker (Rob), Chris Considine (Lauren), Bethany Francis, and Ben Francis; great-nieces Harper and Saige Kuznia, Avery Schutz, and Fallon and Felicity Walker. Jeff's faith in the triune God provided comfort and assurance; as he once wrote in a letter to his mother-in-law, "Whatever is to be is in God's hands. What glorious hands to be held in." He is now enjoying the heaven promised to him. A private family service will be held on Saturday, December 12, at noon and will be livestreamed on www.hudsonucc.org. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jeff may be made to The Great Geauga County Fair Junior Fair Program, P.O. Box 402, Burton, OH, 44021.