Charles Thomas Sr.

He spent his early childhood in San Diego and, in his early teens, moved to Compton, CA and attended Enterprise Junior High School where he met the love of his life, Lois Ann Cressey.

Charles attended Compton High School where he ran track and played football, graduating in 1963. In 1965, he married his sweetheart Lois and they began their amazing 47 year journey together.

Charles spent the majority of his professional career working in the banking industry and held management positions at Crocker Bank, First Interstate, Wells Fargo and Bank of America where he rose to the ranks of Vice President. He loved listening to jazz and was an excellent cook, becoming a professional chef later in life. His real passion however, lay in coaching.

Charles, or Coach Thomas, spent many years coaching football for the Greater Compton Football for Youth Pop Warner program and at one point served as President of the Organization. Teaching young men the fundamentals of football, showing them how to put their best foot forward on and off the field, and seeing them excel was incredibly important to him. Coach Thomas was the man who would leave for practice 2.5 hours early and drive from neighborhood to neighborhood to pick up kids whose own parents either could not or would not do what was necessary to keep them off the streets and out of trouble. He dedicated many years of his life to others and made himself available to anyone who needed him, not only as a coach, but as a mentor and father figure.

Charles was a loyal friend, a loving husband and an incredible father and grandfather. He truly was the head of the family and was the one person that everyone- from his children, to his in-laws, to his nieces/ nephews and even family friends- would turn to for advice and guidance. Everyone knew that when they were in a jam, or needed support, “Pops” or “Uncle Charles” would be there. He had a remarkable bond with his family, he touched the lives of every person he met, and he showed all of us, every day, what love truly was. He will be greatly missed by all of us.

He leaves behind his wife Lois; his children Lamar, Charles Jr., Nicole and Jason; his grandchildren DaLauna, JaLynn, Charlie, Sierra, Chance, Marcus Cane, Jason James and Aja Lyn; his siblings Rickey, Leon, Raymond, Bobby, Michael, Kenny and Rahima; and his oldest and dearest friend, Rudy Green.

He joins in heaven his mother Clara; his father Clarence; his brother Robert Sr.; and his beloved daughter little Lois.