Rev. Charles Thomas, Unitarian Universalist Minister, Dies at 89

Chuck Thomas, a devoted family man and longtime Unitarian Universalist minister, passed away on June 25, 2025, at the age of 89. He had retired to California in 2014 after spending most of his life in and around Dayton, Ohio. Known for his love of baseball, Chuck was an avid fan of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, watching their games on television until his final days. Though he never visited Ebbets Field, he made many trips to Dodger Stadium, cherishing the experience.

Chuck graduated from Wilbur Wright High School in Dayton in 1954, where he met his future wife, Nancy Pearson. They married in 1958 and were devoted parents to their two daughters. In later years, they welcomed sons-in-law and adored their grandchildren, eventually enjoying great-grandchildren as well. The Thomas family was known for its large Christmas trees, breakfast cookouts, and a love of books.

After graduating from Tri-State College in 1957 with a degree in engineering, Chuck spent three decades working as a manufacturing engineer for Chrysler Airtemp, Belden Wire & Cable, and Vernay Labs. His career, however, took a different turn when he and Nancy discovered Unitarianism in the late 1950s at the First Unitarian Church of Dayton. They became active lay leaders in their local congregation and later in a small Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Richmond, Indiana.

Eventually, Chuck found greater fulfillment in volunteer service to local congregations than in his engineering work. He pursued theological training, graduating from Earlham School of Religion in 1976. He served the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in various capacities, including as a circuit rider, interim minister, and district board member. Rev. Chuck Thomas was ordained by the First Unitarian Church of Dayton in 1984, where he served as minister until 1998. He later pastored the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Lima, Ohio, from 1990 to 2014.

Until his retirement, Chuck continued to preach occasionally from other pulpits and served as an on-call chaplain at Dayton’s Children’s Medical Center. He was known for performing weddings, including those for his daughters and his elder granddaughter, as well as many other couples. Chuck was a man of wit and warmth, always striving to bring joy to others through his humor. His daughters, in turn, became adept at rolling their eyes at his well-practiced dad jokes.

Chuck was predeceased by his wife, Nancy Thomas, and his sister, Joyce Landis. He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Lorella & Todd Hess and Linda & Glen Hemberger, and three grandchildren. His legacy lives on through his family, his ministry, and the countless lives he touched with his kindness and faith.

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