Robert Scott Thomas

Robert 'Bob' Scott Thomas, age 93 years young, peacefully passed away with his beloved family by his side, as he was the true patriarch of the McNear Family and the 'Last Man Standing' in America's greatest generation of Marin County.

John Wayne was an actor, but our Grandpa Bob was the true California cowboy who was born into an early California pioneer family who carried forth the principals of respecting the land and its people. He proudly passed these ethics onto the next generation, with the spirit of 'Never, never give up!' His great-great-grandfather, Captain John Augustus McNear, purchased 2,500 acres of property in 1868, which consisted of land which today is known as Glenwood, Peacock Gap, McNear's Beach, China Camp, Miwok Meadows, and Back Ranch. This was his backyard, before modern subdivisions were built, and he always kept his humility and respect for the land.

During World War II, when his cousins all went out to war, he obtained a driver's license at age 12, and managed the ranch by himself with hard work and business ethics - milking the cows and bravely embracing other ranch activities required before dawn -- and then walked 2 miles from McNear's point to San Rafael High School to meet with his lifelong buddies Rich Nave, Mario Ghilotti, Tom McGrath, Leo Andre, and other natives who were the 'Class of 1948' - the grounded Marin post-war heroes who helped build this county with solid ethics passed forth to their children.

Whenever there was a full moon, Bob's cousins Nancy McNear Menary, Brad McNear, John McNear and his siblings would saddle up their horses and play 'hide-and-go- seek on horseback in the dark. Bob always somehow managed to win the game with his horse 'Pegasus' who is namesake of the best known creature of Greek mythology -- a winged divine pure white stallion who took him to Heaven this week.

In his professional career, Bob worked for John Oglesby Engineering firm designing and creating much of Marinwood, Sausalito, Tiburon, Mill Valley and other modern-day subdivisions of Marin County.

He was also President of McNear Block Company which helped to build the San Francisco Bay Area. And, when the city burnt down during the great Earthquake of 1906, his family had the fortitude to rebuild San Francisco -- brick by brick. He was a man of resilience who overcame cancer, COVID, a broken leg and many other challenges during the last few years of his life with his indomitable positive pioneer spirit.

Bob married the love of his life, Barbara Rowan Thomas, whom he met at San Rafael High School during the 1940's. They had two children, Heidi Thomas Kuhn and Robert Scott Thomas, Jr.; 10 grandchildren: Brooks, Tucker, Kyleigh, Christian, Carolyn, Jason, Cassandra, Maxwell, Jonathan and Hayden; and 14 great grandchildren.

In his later life, he was Senior Advisor for Roots of Peace, and was the ‘wind beneath the wings’ of his daughter, Heidi, as she set forth on a quest to bring forth the principles of the McNear family spirit by respecting the land and its’ people through the removal of landmines and the planting of sustainable peace through agriculture for the past quarter of a century. He was often seen wearing his mascot hat, red suspenders, and turquoise bolo cowboy tie as a real American cowboy and true steward of the land.

His friends and family are invited to a Rosary at Keaton's Mortuary Thursday, October 27, 2022 from 10am - 12pm. A Mass at the Thomas family home at Mountain View Avenue in San Rafael will follow at 2:00 p.m., followed by a Hawaiian BBQ reception in his ‘Aloha Spirit.’

Private family burial. Please RSVP to Heidi at:

[email protected] or 415-948-9646.

Donations may be made to Roots of Peace: www.rootsofpeace.org.