Beloved husband, father, grandpa, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 11, 2021, in Mequon, WI, at the age of 79. He was born to Donald and Mary Joynt in Sioux City, IA, and grew up in Madison, WI. He attended Edgewood High School and UW-Madison, where he met and married Kathleen Gallagher, his wife of 49 years.
A lifelong advocate for children and education, Thomas was a teacher and school administrator before becoming a district administrator in Pulaski, Menomonee Falls, and Green Bay, WI. His favorite part of this work was interacting with students and teachers. After retiring, Thomas taught administrative leadership courses at UW-Milwaukee, supporting and mentoring many future school and district leaders.
Thomas’s favorite roles, however, were those of Dad and Grandpa, and in these positions, he had no equal. He loved to play basketball (“Docball” to those who participated), pop up, backyard football, and Hearts with his sons and their friends. He also coached a number of their sports teams, where the focus was always on learning the sport, participating, and having fun. Thomas was an avid carpenter and built decks, furniture, and eventually toys for his grandchildren. As Grandpa, he also wrote stories for them, incorporating the grandkids as animal characters in the tales, and enjoyed taking them for walks and coffee breaks. The most important part of Thomas’s life was family, and he lived that belief each and every day.
Thomas is survived by his wife Kathleen; their sons Matthew (Heidi), Michael (Tracy), Nathan (Jaime), and Timothy (Jamie); their grandchildren Brennan, Calvin, Declan Thomas, Jack Thomas, Max, Patrick, Sidney, Lewis Thomas, William Thomas, and Lydia; his brothers Patrick (Unni) and Daniel; and many loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters Mary (Conway) and Donna (Vachon).
The family would like to extend special thanks to the staff at Froedtert Hospital and Lawlis Family Hospice for their compassion and care. In lieu of flowers, please take time to thank a teacher who has had a positive effect on your life.
A celebration of Thomas’s life will take place on Sunday, December 5, 2021, at the Watermark at Shully’s (146 Green Bay Rd., Thiensville, WI). The family will greet friends at 10:00 AM, the service will begin at 12:00 PM, with a reception to follow.
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