George Irving Thomas

Aug 19, 1925 - Oct 20, 2021

George Irving Thomas was born to Fay LaVerne Young and Irving Wheat Thomas, in Tacoma, Washington. He passed away in his Seattle home at the age of 96. Alongside his sister Mary, George spent most of his formative years in Tacoma and surrounds, graduating from Stadium High School and entering Whitman College under the V -12 program in 1943. He attended his first two years of medical school at UC-SF and completed his MD at Johns Hopkins in 1949. Married by then to Genavie Joyce Difford, George moved his family, including the first two of their five children, to Japan to serve in the Korean War effort. From 1951 to 1953, George was a 1st Lieutenant in the Department of Surgery at the Sendai U.S. Army Hospital. The family then returned to Seattle where George assumed a Surgical Residency and later, Cardiovascular Fellowship in the Department of Surgery at UW. He was very proud to be a part of the first team in the west to perform open heart bypass surgery in 1956.

George first dreamed of becoming a doctor at the age of 8, when an uncle took him along on house calls. His work was a passion. From 1959 to 1999, he specialized in Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery. He was actively engaged in research and held several teaching appointments at UW throughout this time. In 1973, he received a patent for the Thomas Femoral Shunt. In 1992, he received the Providence Medical Center - Outstanding Teacher Award. His numerous medical society memberships and committee and board appointments included Chairman of the Cardiovascular Surgical Section, Providence

Medical Center from 1965 to 1976;

Co-Chairman of the Division of Surgery at Providence Medical Center from 1975 to 1977; and terms as President of: WA State Chapter, American College of Surgeons; Seattle Surgical Society;

Northwestern Medical Association; North Pacific Surgical Association; Pacific Coast Surgical Society; and Providence Hospital Medical Center. He felt privileged to serve as a Director of the Washington Research Foundation from 2001 to

2017.

George was a Husky fan, and an avid reader, sailor, tennis player, skier and golfer. He golfed until the age of 95 and enjoyed memberships in the Seattle Tennis Club, Seattle Golf Club and Valley Club of Sun

Valley. Close friendships with sailing mates and the camaraderie of his tennis foursome and golf partners were significant to George, and it gave him great joy to share these pastimes with his family. He developed a lifelong fascination with Winston Churchill while serving as a congressional page. (Churchill shook the hand of every page following his 1941 address to Congress—a chance event that stood out in George's life.) George loved bow ties and argyle socks; Desolation Sound, Sun Valley and Maui; evening walks with his English Setter, Lindy; and the cocktail hour. He indulged in all.

Particularly in his later years, George was profoundly grateful for the individuals and government programs that provided him opportunity. Above all else, he was grateful for his wife and constant companion of the last 48 years, Virginia Hart Thomas. George is survived by his wife Ginny; children George, Andrew (Caryn Buck), Chandler (Kitty Capdepon) and Genavie Thomas and Sarah Whittaker (fiancée Jeff Wittenfeld); grandchildren Tyler (Kendyl), Colter (Jill), Nigel and Robin Thomas, Hannah

Halliday (fiancée Sean Flynn), Sam Johnson and Patrick Hamilton; and his great granddaughter, Drew Hart Thomas. "Gramps" will be lovingly remembered by his family for his "never better" approach to each day, uncommon interest in their lives, family quizzes, generous pours, and commanding presence at the head of the table.

Remembrance gifts may be directed to the George and Ginny Thomas Endowment for Cardiothoracic Surgery (give.uwmedicine.org/ George/Thomas) or the Providence Hospice of Seattle Foundation. A celebration of George's life will be held next spring.