Jon Michael Thomas

Jon "JT" Michael Thomas passed on May 2, 2024 from brain cancer. He was born on November 12, 1990 to O. Neil and Christine Thomas in Syracuse, NY. He spent the early years of his life in Turin, NY before moving to Fonda, NY where he would meet his wife Kimberly Lepine in 2005. He lived life as if every moment counted and he filled those moments doing things he loved with the people he loved. Jon is survived by his loving wife Kimberly, his son Conner, daughter Emma, his parents, brother Adam & Kelly Thomas, sister Stephanie & John Smith, the Lepine family; Dave & Joanne Lepine, Joseph and Melissa Lepine, Jennifer & Bryan Beckingham, his nieces and nephews Quinn, Owen, Eric, Kyle, Julia, Logan, Morgan and more friends than one can count who filled his life with memories and adventures. To know Jon was to love him. No matter who crossed his path in life he treated everyone with kindness and saw them as potential friends. He lived life making the most of each day as he believed that life is what you make of it. He lived life as if every moment counted and he filled those moments doing things he loved with the people he loved. Jon's favorite word was perseverance and though his time with us was cut short, he persevered through every obstacle that came his way starting from the day he was born. His smile, blue eyes, love and kind heart will be missed by everyone who knew him. Jon was an avid fisherman from the time he could hold a pole and could be found casting a line year-round if he knew of a spot to go fishing. If he wasn't fishing, he was hunting. Jon loved being in the woods and spent years at hunting camp in Northville and scouting perfect spots in Vermont to bag his next turkey or deer. His proudest hunt was probably at the age of 15 when he traveled to Wyoming to hunt antelope and came home with his trophy buck lovingly known to family and friends as Chuck. Three of his favorite fishing and hunting partners were his father, brother-in-law John and father-in-law Dave. If he wasn't outdoors, Jon could be found working on a project around the house or in the yard, playing with his kids or cheering on the Bills, Sabres or Clarkson hockey. A loyal member of Bills Mafia, he rarely missed a game. One time he got to catch to catch a pass from and chat with Jim Kelly at a work conference. Some of the first words he taught Conner were "Lets Go Buffalo." Jon met the love of his life Kimberly Lepine when she moved in 10 houses down. No one expects to meet their future spouse at 14 let alone on a school bus but theirs is a love story built on friendship, adventures, loyalty, and trust. Jon quickly became a member of the Lepine family and could often be found at their house even if Kimmy wasn't home. They were by each other's side throughout middle school, high school, undergrad and graduate school, never skipping a beat. Jon married Kim on August 17, 2015 in Glen, NY during an intimate ceremony at a friend's cabin in the woods. They would have a larger ceremony in Vermont known as Thomas Take Two with all their friends and family on July 1, 2017. For almost 19 years, Kim has been Jon's rock and he has been hers. Their love has been a beautiful thing to witness. Throughout Jon's medical needs over the last 8 years, Kim has been by his side and her care for him in his last months has been the personification of love and devotion. His role of uncle and love for his nieces and nephews was just a practice run for the greatest title Jon ever achieved, Dad. From the moment he learned he was going to be a father, Jon beamed with pride. He talked about all the adventures they would go on and things he would teach them. The best days of his life were the days his children were born and the time he had with them. Conner and Emma will always carry his love with them as he poured every ounce he had into them while he was with us. Beyond being a genuinely good human, Jon received many accolades through his academic and professional life. He attended Fonda-Fultonville Schools where he played soccer and basketball and was genuinely loved by his classmates and teachers. He graduated in 2009 as valedictorian and continued his education in Civil Engineering at Clarkson where he continued to build lifelong friendships. While at Clarkson he was a member of the Steel Bridge Team, several Engineering Honor Societies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He was never a boastful guy about his intelligence or accomplishments that he worked hard for. He was just Jon; the guy everyone enjoyed being around and that brought people together. Following college, he moved to Vermont and worked for PC Construction for over 10 years. He oversaw the construction of numerous projects throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and New York as a LEAN Specialist and Project Engineer. He loved working for PC Construction and throughout the years of his illness the company stood by him and his family. We are forever grateful for PC Construction's support, flexibility, and generosity. As his cancer progressed this fall Jon took time to dictate a message to his friends and family. Below is an excerpt which speaks to who Jon was and what he believed. "I want my son and my daughter to one day look back at this and see the impact I made on other people’s lives by just being myself and being a good person. Even after I’m gone, I want to teach them that life is what you make of it and what really matters most are the relationships you make. Even though life isn’t always fair, I feel lucky that I have the opportunity to have closure and reflect on these things. I know for a fact that I’m leaving my children behind with the best mom in the entire world, and they will never feel a shortage of love." In his honor, tell your people how important they are to you and tell them you love them often. At the end of this crazy ride of life, the relationships you have made are your legacy and Jon's legacy is palpable and immeasurable. Services will be held outdoors on Tuesday, May 14th at Lake Paran Recreation in North Bennington, VT from 1 PM to 5 PM. Casual attire requested as Jon was not a suit and tie kind of guy. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Jon's family via a previously set up Go Fund Me account https://gofund.me/ff67f77a or given directly to his wife. To keep his memory alive and allow his children to know their dad as they get older, the family is asking anyone who has a story to share to send it to ssmith41026@gmail.com so that we may create a book for the kids; any and all stories welcome. We love you JT, until we meet again keep watch over all of us. Go Bills.