Jon W. Thomas, 73, of Merrimack, NH passed away on Saturday April 2, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in New York, NY on October 30, 1942 to the late Wesley and Dolores (Schomburg) Thomas.

Mr. Thomas is the grandson of Arthur A. Schomburg of The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, NY, N.Y. This kind, generous, remarkable man always gave more to others than he did to himself, and truly was a sweet man who will be sorely missed.

Jon is a veteran of the United States Navy, commissioned to the USS George C. Marshall Nuclear Submarine SSBN – 654, honorably discharged as Petty Officer 2nd Class. As a serviceman, he met our beautiful mother Elizabeth Dolores Thomas and they raised four children, Gregory, Marc, Troy, and Rebekah.

After the Navy, our father made his way in the private sector as a professional in the nuclear field, as a businessman and merchant, as well as an entrepreneur. Scholastically, he attained many degrees to foster and excel in these occupations in an effort to acquire and sustain the American Dream in the country of which he so loved. He finished his work life returning to the Office of Naval Research, where he retired in 2011.

Jon was pre-deceased by his wife Elizabeth in 2009.

Surviving members of his family include his four children, Gregory Thomas and his wife Heather, Marc Thomas and his wife Marybeth, Troy Thomas and his wife Jillian, and Rebekah Thomas; four grandchildren, Michaela, Angela, Lexus, and Madison and her mother, Stacy Leach; a brother, Wesley Thomas; two sisters, Mona and Laura Thomas, two nieces, Aleah and Samantha, and two nephews, Lance and Anthony.

Our father was of Catholic faith and kept a strong relationship with Jesus Christ with whom he turned to daily for guidance and strength.

Calling hours will be held at the Rivet Funeral Home, 425 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, NH on Thursday April 7, 2016 from 6 – 8 PM. A service will follow in the funeral home chapel at 8 PM. Burial will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please make a one-time donation to the Wounded Warrior Project @ www.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate.

To sign an online guestbook, please visit rivetfuneralhome.com.