Charles Leo Thomas

Dr. Charles Leo Thomas

(March 9, 1940 – May 19, 2025)

Charles, fondly known as Chuck or Leo, was born on March 9, 1940, in St. Louis, Missouri, to the late Jesse Mae Cox and Leo Thomas. Charles, the only child of Jesse and Leo, attended Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri. While at Sumner, he excelled in his studies and basketball, and during his senior year of high school, he was approached by a recruiter of the Harlem Globetrotters to join their traveling troupe. As the first in his family admitted to college, his mother Jesse had other plans, and he enrolled at Harris-Stowe State Teachers College.

After earning his undergraduate degree, Charles continued his studies and earned a master’s degree from St. Louis University. During that time, he joined the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Realizing that as a Black man in the 1970s, he needed further education to open doors for him that might otherwise stay closed, Charles went on to continue his education at Columbia University earning a second master’s. He then earned his Doctorate in Educational Psychology from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. While at Johns Hopkins, he was mentored by Dr. Julian Stanley, and together, they started working on a program known in Baltimore as the Center for Talented Youth and, nationally, the Gifted and Talented programs.

Charles’ professional life mirrored his academic pursuits as he helped plant the seed of curiosity and pursuit of higher education through one of his first jobs as a Psychology and Applied Statistics professor at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. While at Indiana University, Charles earned the praises of his colleagues, students, and the administration for his willingness to help and mentor students. During that time, Charles’ beloved wife, Edith, was pursuing her Doctorate in Nutrition at Indiana University. Upon her graduation, Charles supported her growth when she got a job teaching at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. Charles and Edith moved there with their family, and he worked in a private practice as a clinical psychologist. Charles’ last career move would bring the family to Potomac, Maryland, and land him at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where he taught graduate-level Psychology and Applied Statistics. While there, Charles was an active member of the American Psychological Association and the American Evaluation Association, where he served as a board member.

Throughout his career, Charles always held positions where he could help the next generation. As a professor at George Mason University, it was not uncommon for prior students to reach out unexpectedly to thank him for setting them on their career path or for being both a mentor and, at times, father figure. As a lifelong learner, Charles also participated in post-doctoral work through The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and St. Elizabeth’s Psychiatric Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he

worked with at-risk teens, providing free evaluations and counseling services for adolescents in the juvenile corrections system.

In addition to his numerous awards and professional recognition, Dr. Charles Leo Thomas was the primary author of several articles and research reports published by Indiana University and George Mason University. A well-cited publication while at George Mason, Effects of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program on Teen’s Attitude Towards Sexuality: A Latent Trait Modeling Approach, was the basis for many further studies in that area.

Charles retired from George Mason University in the early 2000s.

Charles married the love of his life, Dr. Edith Peete Thomas, on August 25, 1962. They spent 61 perfect years together, sharing unconditional love. Only through Edith’s passing two years prior in 2023 were they ever apart.

Throughout Charles’ life, he always prioritized his family and faith. His intelligence, patience, strength, character, compassion, and humor allowed him to be the exemplary model of a devoted husband, a professional with unquestioned integrity, and the most compassionate and supportive father to his children, Stephanie and Stephen. He was the steady, quiet strength of the family.

Charles was known by many names and wore many hats, all of which he wore with the same grace and humility as a man raised right. He was a husband, a father, an educator, a mentor, an advisor, a coach, a brother (“Q Dog!”), a counselor, a father figure to many, a considerate neighbor, and a dear and loyal friend. Charles passed in the presence of his son, Stephen, and trusted caregiver, Pauline Gray, with his deceased wife, mother, and father welcoming him home with open arms.

Charles is survived by his children, Stephanie Lynne (Thomas) Tryon (Stuart) and Charles Stephen Thomas (Nicole). He also leaves behind the lights of his and his wife, Edith’s lives, his grandchildren Sydney Tryon, Sawyer Tryon, Dominique Thomas, and Peyton Thomas, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is most loved, forever missed and always remembered. He has completed a life well lived.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Lung Association.

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