Barry Ronald Thomas

Barry (aka Dad, Pop-Up, Grampa) passed away peacefully at home on August 13, 2025, after battling multiple forms of cancer with his unflagging optimism and quiet strength.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, on September 30, 1939, to Ronald and Edna Thomas, Barry met every challenge as an opportunity to learn and move forward—a quality that shone through in his successful career as an HR executive at Kodak, Lipton’s, and Unilever. Over the years, his love of adventure and insatiable curiosity took him from the cockpit of a Cessna plane to the helm of a 30 foot sailboat, across golf courses, through forests, and deep into the miniature worlds of model trains.

Barry is survived by his Chief Adventure Instigator and love of his life, Catherine, with whom he shared 61 joy-filled years of marriage, his children Heather Nadler (Michael), Erin Whike (Christopher), and Bryce Thomas (Lisanne), and his grandchildren, Josh, Matthew, Zachary, Sydney, Taylor, Anélise, Blake, and Chantale. Barry will be dearly missed by his brother Alan Thomas (Karen) and is predeceased by their sister Leslie. He also leaves behind a wide circle of nieces, nephews, family, and friends who will miss his generous spirit, steady advice, and trademark “Thomas humour.”

A celebration of Barry’s life will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2025 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the RiverBend Golf Community clubhouse (1200 Sandy Somerville Drive, London).

In lieu of flowers, donations in Barry’s memory can be made to the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre at London Health Sciences Centre