Thomas McKean Thomas

Thomas McKean Thomas died peacefully on December 11, 2024 of complications related to Alzheimer’s. He was 83 years old.

Tom Thomas was born on September 7, 1941 in Mendham, NJ, and moved to Bucks County in 1965 with his wife, Patricia Thomas. Tom and Patti met at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Tom was acting in “Three Penny Opera” and Patti was on the backstage crew. After a courtship that Tom always said was accelerated by the draft board, Tom and Patti were married on April 11, 1964. They enjoyed almost 50 years of marriage, until Patti’s death on February 27, 2014.

Tom is survived by his second wife Christina Pappajohn, his three children, and eight grandchildren: Bob (and Carrie), Nonie, Nate, and Henry Thomas of Cohasset, MA; Becky (and Dan), Molly, Kate, and Hannah French of Norwich, VT; and Sarah (and Jeff), Cory, and Gavin Harriman of Hartland, VT. Tom is also survived by his brother Jim Thomas of Mendham, NJ, and his sisters Winky Thomas of Middlebury, VT, and Sally Thomas of Bend, OR.

Tom came to Doylestown for a job, but fell in love with the area and spent the next 50 years making a home, building a business, and committing himself to organizations that made Doylestown a better place to live and visit. Tom loved to travel and, wanting to share this love with others, he started Thomas Travel Service with a single employee. Tom took pride in treating both employees and customers with care and respect and, over the years, Thomas Travel grew to 4 locations and more than 50 employees. He started a series of “For Women Only” trips that brought women together to explore various parts of the world, and he was well-known for helping large families plan trips to exciting destinations. Tom was an active member in the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce and was honored with a Business Achievement Award in 2002.

Soon after arriving in Doylestown, while still in his 20’s, Tom joined the Board of Trustees of the Bucks County Historical Society. He enjoyed history, admired Henry Mercer’s buildings and collections, and the Historical Society said they needed some youthful energy on the board. Fifty years later, Tom was still actively involved with the Historical Society and the Museum, having served on the board and as a volunteer for more than five decades. Fittingly, Tom and Tina Pappajohn celebrated their octogenarian nuptials at the Mercer Museum on June 4, 2022.

Social justice was Tom’s other great passion. He and Patti joined Pebble Hill Church when they first arrived in Doylestown, finding a comfortable home in that progressive community. They later joined and became active members in the BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. At both churches, Tom enjoyed speaking and organizing services, his favorite topic being Martin Luther King, Jr. At BuxMont, Tom was active on the Peace and Justice Committee, giving most of his recent efforts to working on immigrants’ rights. Tom also volunteered with A Woman’s Place and the local food pantry, making weekly trips to Costco to shop for needed staples.

A travel agent by profession, Tom also traveled for pleasure, and he always wanted to have an upcoming trip on his calendar to look forward to. African safaris, “long weekends” in London, and time on Guana Island were some of his favorite exotic destinations, but his favorite place in the world was Nantucket Island. Tom first went to Nantucket as a teenager and returned there multiple times a year where he enjoyed bird walks, surf casting, scalloping, attending the Nantucket Unitarian Church, and relaxing with a cocktail on the front porch. He often traveled to Nantucket with friends, sharing his love of fishing and bird watching, or just enjoying the peaceful solitude of Great Point in the company of others (with some Barbancourt, Triscuits and cheddar).

He shared the things that he loved, opening his home to paddle tennis players who met for twice-a-week games and continued to play even after Tom was no longer able.

Tom will be remembered by family and friends for his generosity and goodness, his curiosity, and his unfiltered communication style. His many friends and his loving family who appreciated and valued these characteristics were rewarded with his kindness, thoughtful intelligence, odd humor, and loyalty.

A celebration of Tom’s life will be held on Tuesday, January 14 at 11:00 at the BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2040 West Street Road, Warrington. Memorial contributions in Tom’s memory can be made to the Immigration Rights Action, 70 W. Oakland Ave, Suite 200, Doylestown, PA, 18901.