Guy Alfred Thomas III

1941 - 2017

Guy Alfred Thomas, III, owner and co-owner, respectively of Manchester, Vermont restaurants Zoey's Deli and Zoey's Double Hex, died Saturday, December 30th of heart failure.

Born September 7, 1941 in Baltimore, MD to Guy Alfred Thomas, Jr. and Adele Sharpe, Guy grew up in Scarsdale, NY and married Vivian Ludvik, also of Scarsdale in 1962. Guy later resided in Franklin Lakes, NJ and worked for Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company before moving with his wife and two daughters to Manchester, Vermont in 1972.

After playing squash for the New York Athletic Club in the 1960s and early 70s, Guy turned his energy to running when he moved to Vermont, competing in both the New York and Boston Marathons numerous times. In the late 70s he started the Maple Leaf Half Marathon in Manchester. The race attracted thousands, including world-class athletes from around the globe and had multiple world records set on its course.

In the mid-70s, he founded the Vermont Bean Seed Company, headquartered in Fair Haven, Vermont. The Company sold seeds by mail order, printing illustrated catalogs evoking the ethos of the rural home gardener. After selling the business a dozen years later, he opened Zoey's Deli in August 1990. The restaurant quickly became a favorite among locals and tourists alike, known for its hearty sandwiches and homemade breads and soups, as well as for its eclectic, quirky décor featuring a mix of ceramic pigs and elaborately painted fire hydrants. Zoey's Deli was rated 5 stars for quality among Vermont Delis in the Michelin Guide every year between 2003 and 2017.

In 2000 Guy partnered with Chef Bob Albert, to open an additional restaurant Zoey's Double Hex, a sit-down restaurant known for its warm, inviting atmosphere and its home-style meals. The Hex, as it is known by locals, has become one of the most successful small restaurant businesses in the state with a line at the door most evenings.

Guy was also an avid Harley rider and could be seen all over the state riding his favorite motorcycle, Stella, with his wife, Vivian, and a rotating crew of local friends. The daily destinations were usually ice cream shops and diners around the Northeast, but he also ventured across the country including trips to Sturgis, SD for the one of largest motorcycle rallies in in the country.

Guy was predeceased by his granddaughter Anika Papanek and is survived by his wife, Vivian, his sister Lucia Scott, his daughters Kathy Zilkha and Sandy Papanek, his sons-in-law, Patrick Zilkha and Ron Papanek and his five grandchildren, Ella and Clay Papanek, and Ava, Annette and George Zilkha. He is also survived by niece and nephew, Susan and Stephen Burgess and nieces, Ana and Elena Rahona.. Also surviving are his two adored labradoodles, Betty and Sweetie, that rode around in his car with him everyday.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in memory of Guy to The Wilson House, P.O. Box 46, East Dorset, Vermont 05253 or online at www.wilsonhouse.org.