Obituary of David M. Thomas

David M. Thomas died peacefully with his family by his side on February 3, 2021. He died of complications due to Covid-19. He is survived by his beloved wife, Jarka; his two sons, Pavel, and his partner, Tenny, and Michal, and his wife, Irene; two grandchildren, Lillian and Charlotte; and nieces and nephews. David was born on February 15, 1939, in Bozeman, Montana to the late Lillian and Benjamin Thomas. He was an accomplished pianist and organist who devoted his life as an organist and choirmaster in a number of churches in Fairfield County; Trinity Church in Southport, St. Aloysius Church in New Canaan, Holy Cross Church in Fairfield, St. Michael the Archangel Church in Greenwich, and the United Congregational Church in Norwalk. David attended the University of Montana and received a degree of organ performance. He then received a master's degree from the University of Colorado in church music. While living in Evergreen, Colorado, he was active in a liturgical commission for the Episcopal diocese. From there, he went to Chicago where he worked for four years. He then traveled to Czechoslovakia to study music. In Olomouc, he met his future wife, Jarka. Upon returning to Bozeman, he worked as an organist and choirmaster at St James Church and also founded the Bozeman Boys Choir. After six years, he drove Jarka, their newborn son Pavel and their Siberian husky to Southport, Connecticut in their 1965 Ford Mustang. Three years later, their second son, Michal, was born. David’s biggest passion was composing music for church services and for his piano students. David's deep faith and his love for the music of the Church touched the hearts of all those he led in song and praise of God. He will also be remembered as a kind and patient teacher of the piano to his many students through the years. Outside of music, he enjoyed gardening, always finding time to work in the yard. He liked to travel and made an effort to send the family to Czechoslovakia about every two years in order to visit relatives while the children were growing up. A Solemn Requiem Mass will be celebrated for David at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Fairfield on Monday, February 8, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. The Mass will be livestreamed on: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stpiusxffld YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC23Bnvkj9rXL0_EJ8RDhwBw The Thomas family would prefer memorial Contributions to either: www.DoctorsWithoutBorders.org or Fairfield County Children's Choir (www.SingFCCC.org) For travel directions, or to sign his online register, please visit www.LeskoPolkeFuneralHome.com