An Obituary
Michael P. Thomas
On August 16, 2023, Mike Thomas (Michael P. Thomas) of Fort Collins, Colorado, passed away at the age of 82. He was born November 23, 1940, in Palo Alto, California.
The Memorial Service will be held at 4:00 PM on Thursday, September 14, 2023, in the chapel at Mullen High School, 3601 S. Lowell Blvd., Denver, Co.
Mike Thomas was a brilliant educator, having served as Science Dept Chair, and highly honored and beloved Teacher of the Year in physics, chemistry, and German for 33 years at Mullen High School in Denver. As a colleague put it, “he was a gifted and determined individual who lived to see his students go on to do great things.”
To donate to Mullen in Mike’s name, you are welcome to use this link.
Thomas earned his B.A. in Germanic Languages and Geology from the University of Colorado-Denver, and his M.S. in geology and mathematics at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
For Mike, lab work was not divorced from scientific theory. Thomas believed that lab science is best learned hands on, from teachers who love their work and are passionate about their field. “If you teach, “said he, “you must love what you do. Kids know when you love your subject, and your excitement is catching.”
After teaching, Mike served as a research associate, part time professor and consulting engineer specializing in fire assay, mining technology and metallurgy at the Colorado School of Mines.
Not just that unforgettable teacher, Mike Thomas was as a Renaissance man: jazz pianist, jaguar mechanic, Ferrari mechanic, philosopher, collector, SCCA vintage sports car diver, prospector, science writer and mining engineer. This award-winning teacher was also the guy who leads the conversation and amazed everyone on just about any subject at dinner. Whether in’s extracting rare earth metals from connate water left over from a well, or the latest evolution of European politics, or the linguistic roots of Old English, or the battlefield details of the Civil War, Mike always led the conversation.
Thomas was a member of the American Society Mining Engineers, the American Chemical Society, the Society of Mineral Analysts, the American Association of Physics Teachers, The American Association of Geology Teachers, and the American Association of Teachers of German.
Mike Thomas is survived by his son, Ivan Thomas, daughters Heather Thomas, Elizabeth P. Thomas-Pasini and Margarette Williams, brother Tim Thomas, sisters Katie Shipman, Mary Hanawalt and Virginia Meine,. Mike had 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
