Anthony Lee Thomas

On November 3rd, 1977, a lovely boy came into this world. The beloved son of Michael Allen Thomas and Jenny Mary Los. He was given the name Anthony Lee Thomas, as his mom’s nana always prayed to St. Anthony and had a liking for Lee jeans at the time. Known for his creative nature, edgy sense of humour, and clever mind, he had a passion for sports, cars, fantasy, rock music, technology, and interactive games. He is survived by his wife Besa Thomas, loving parents, sisters Rhalena (Neal Watts) and Ashley Thomas (Ben DeLorey), nephew Winston Watts, nieces Eleanor Watts, Aubrey and Mya DeLorey, and his cat Princess. As the eldest child, Anthony was always open to learning, listening to others with no judgment, teaching people new things, and accomplishing tasks with intense interest. If you asked him to help you buy a phone or a piece of hockey equipment (hockey was his favourite sport), he would research and analyze every aspect of it and make sure you got the best value for your money.

Although Anthony is not physically with us, he leaves us with the most joyful and funny memories. He once told me, “I can find anything on a map by hockey arenas, and my wife can find anything on a map by coffee shops.” A young, athletic and healthy man of kindness, his generous and infectious spirit touched the lives of many people he met.

Anthony was an extremely devoted and passionate person in the hockey community and connected with many of his teammates through organizations such as the Greater Toronto Inline Hockey League, Modsquadhockey, an organization based in the US, and Toronto’s Men’s Hockey. It didn’t end there. Anthony went above and beyond as a referee and ice and inline hockey participant. He volunteered to help people with intellectual and neurological disabilities, enjoyed skating and officiated hockey leagues, including competitive travel and adult hockey. For a few years, he was the Referee in Chief for the local Don Mills Civitan Hockey League where he helped teach and mentor young officials. His devoted commitment demonstrated Anthony’s good heart, helpfulness, and a deep passion for hockey and the community. He was also an avid Montréal Canadiens hockey fan and detested the Toronto Maple Leafs after growing up watching the Canadiens with his French Canadien grandma Sue on his father’s side.

Anthony earned a degree in English and Media Information and Technoculture and spent his time off the ice as a freelance communications writer. He had a gifted, imaginative mind and adored reading fantasy books such as ones written by Terry Brooks and R. A. Salvatore. His father inspired him to explore fantasy further after he read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars to Anthony at a very early age. He also loved science fiction movies and rock songs. One time, he asked me while riding in the car, “What’s the name of this song?”. I responded by saying “White Snake?” and he corrected me and said, “No, that’s David Bowie!” It proved to me that his knowledge of music overpowered mine. He also had a love for cars and watched countless videos by YouTube car influencer Scotty Kilmer to find out about the top cars with the best deals and quality. He was an extreme money saver and loved coupons and getting reward points. He once told me, “I’m allergic to paying full price.” One of the qualities I loved about Anthony was the confidence he gave me to learn new things. I met Anthony over 20 years ago at one of the lowest points of my life, and he saved me. He taught me how to love myself by believing in my artistic talents and teaching me simple tasks that did not come easily, such as cooking a nice baked salmon, living a healthier lifestyle, doing the laundry, Skating, swimming, bike riding, and driving. He encouraged me to talk to new people, and connect with others, which helped me gain a position as a timekeeper at many competitive hockey events.

Anthony adored his family immensely and it took me no time to see how much he loved being with them during family events such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. He said to me, “Sometimes all I need in life is to spend the best moments with my family, loved ones, and my lovely wife.” One time, we were watching To Kill a Mockingbird, and he became emotional after watching the close relationship between Jem and Scout and he told me how much he loved his sisters. One of the things Anthony did which struck me deeply was when I heard him say, “I love you” to his mother before he passed. Anthony was genuinely and tremendously attached to his mom. He also shared his love and connection with my family, especially with my gentle and proudly autistic brother, Arben. Anthony also played a big role in the lives of many children. He would spontaneously engage with them by telling them funny and unrehearsed stories. Children immediately connected with him and always wanted him around as he was ingeniously funny. Anthony had a deep love for animals, especially cats. He bonded with all his childhood felines and enjoyed them into adulthood through playtime and enduring affection.

As we mourn the loss of Anthony, we find comfort in the countless memories he leaves behind. His love, kindness, smile and devotion to all he connected with will forever serve as a guiding light to all that knew him. He will be deeply missed. We were very fortunate to be able to spend his remaining time together, talking about the good times and how he wants to be remembered through a celebration of his life, with fun stories, pictures and lots of laughter.

Lastly, Anthony was such a selfless man that he talked about talented kids who can play hockey but do not have the means to play in leagues. This gave me and his family the idea of asking for donations in Anthony’s memory to the Hockey 4 Youth charity, which helps unprivileged kids play without barriers. Feel free to donate to the Anthony Thomas Memorial Fund on the hockey4youth.org/donate website if you wish. I love you, Anthony.

Your wife, Besa

A visitation for Anthony will be held Monday, September 9, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Jerrett Funeral Homes, 660 Kennedy Road, Toronto, ON M1K2B5, followed by a funeral service from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Anthony's memory may be made to Hockey For Youth,

http://www.hockey4youth.org/donate