Race Director's Corner

Barney Lee Thomas, 1951 – 2007

Also in the Race Director's Corner:

Barney died on Saturday, November 10th at Brian’s House in Bay City, with family and friends by his side.

Barney was born September 6, 1951 in Deckerville, MI to the late Arnold and Catherine (Cantlin) Thomas. He was a 1969 graduate of All Saints/St. James High School of Bay City. Barney attended Notre Dame University, where he received his degree in Civil Engineering in 1975. In 2006 he received his Masters Degree in engineering from the University of Michigan. Barney was an avid runner, competing in 21 marathons including the Boston Marathon. (His PR was 3:11.) He was working on becoming a member of the Seven Continent Club, having competed in marathons in Australia and in Antarctica before his illness stopped him from running. He enjoyed coaching youth baseball for many years in Ft. Myers, FL and was part of the Big Brothers and Sisters organization. Barney was a 25+ year member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and was involved in the Habitat for Humanity. He was also an accomplished speed skater as a youth. Barney was a member of the Ann Arbor Track Club from 1999 - 2006.

Surviving Barney are his brother, Kurt Thomas; his niece, Janelle Thomas and two great nieces, Brenna and Decklyn; his mother-in-law, Vivian Perkins and his sister-in-law, Donna Perkins, all of Kannapolis, NC. Besides his parents, Barney was preceded in death by his brother Kevin, his beloved cocker spaniel Engee a few months ago, and his wife, Debra, on November 2, 2007.

AATC members who knew Barney are encouraged to visit his guest book on-line to add a note and also upload any pictures of Barney that you might have that you can share with his family. They would appreciate that.

image: Barney Thomas

Writer’s personal note: I happened to be visiting Barney when he died. He died just after Notre Dame lost to Air Force (his late-wife’s team) with a large group of people with him. I was there to watch the football game with him as I’d done many times. He’d been ill for so long, that his passing was not such an unhappy thing to happen. The part of Barney that we all knew best had been lost months and even years ago. He’d had some really rough years fighting ALS. It wasn’t much fun for him or his family. I hope you have taken the time to read some of the four part series of articles I wrote about his running the Antarctic Marathon in 2005. Completing this project took a lot of work under difficult circumstances, most of which occurred this past summer when Barney could no longer talk. That part was tough for both of us, but we got through it as best we could. Sometime next year I plan to put together a complete version of the article that I will be happy to e-mail to anyone that wants a copy of it. Barney was happy knowing his big marathon story was being shared, and I was thankful to get it done in time to let him be part of it. He was a determined runner and a great guy. I’ll miss him, as will many others. So long, friend.