Dean Thomas

[Jim T]

Early this afternoon Dean ended his three month struggle with lung cancer. Dean was my older brother by about 14 years. He should be remembered as a fine husband, father, brother, relic hunter, author, and publisher.  As far as this group goes, his life-time of collecting and ground breaking and extensive research regarding Civil War small arms resulted in "Ready, Aim, Fire, Small Arms Ammunition at Gettysburg", "Round Ball to Rimfire" (4 volumes), "Confederate Arsenals, Laboratories, and Ordnance Depots" (3 volumes) and numerous other reference works. Dean leaves a large void in the area of Civil War ordnance research!

Wac-a-mole!!!!

[Dave]

Wow!  So sorry to hear that. Huge loss in the relic community, even bigger loss to your family. Will be praying for all of y?all.

[redbob]

May he Rest in Peace and he will be missed in a number of areas.

[Wilmington Mike]

Very sorry to hear this news.  Peace you and all the family and friends.

[mgmradio]

Rest in Peace Dean.

[Dr. Beach]

Jim, Dean will be sorely missed by all of us.

Horace

[pipedreamer65]

Really sorry to read this.  Huge void left behind.   Please accept my condolences.

[Daveslem]

RIP Dean. Gonna miss you, man. Sorry, Jim for losing your brother and friend.

[CarlS]

My deepest sympathies to you and your family.  While his loss is a huge void in the hobby, he is also missed as a friend.  Dean, like you, has been an incredible source of knowledge and stories over the year.  He will be missed.  I am proud to have some of this relics in my collection.

[Steve Phillips]

Sorry to hear that Dean has passed. Jim and Dean spent a couple days at my farm and Susan and I enjoyed their company.

[R. J. in LA]

This is very sad news. Jim, you and your family have my heartfelt condolences and are in my thoughts and prayers. Dean will be tremendously missed.

[emike123]

Very sad indeed.  My thoughts continue to go out to his large circle of family and friends, but especially to his little brother Jim and his widow, Sally.

Members of this forum community should know that Dean was behind this forum from the start.  He had neglected to re-up his domain name registration on the predecessor website and upon expiry it got hijacked by an Asian outfit who tried to gouge him into paying big bucks to get it back.  Over dinner at Sportsman's outside Nashville, (where he is the only person I have ever eaten with at a restaurant to order a fried bologna sandwich off the menu), Dean (& Jim, his accomplice) sweet talked Carl and me into launching this new site.

And so, dear Dean-o, I think it is entirely fitting that we toast you here. 

Rest in peace, friend.