About duane thomas

duane thomas (1930-2017)

Duane Marshall Thomas, loving husband, father and grandfather, was born June 11, 1930 to Clarence Lamar Thomas and Mildred Marshall Thomas, in Boise, Idaho. He graduated from Boise High School in 1948. He was the school's starting quarterback, and greatly surprised his coach when he gave up football for music and theater.

Duane attended Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, on a full scholarship, earning a bachelor's degree in 1952. He worked his way through school as a waiter in the Yale Dining Hall. He was in the Yale Glee Club, and in his junior year he was a member of the Spizwinks, when he was tapped to sing baritone with the acclaimed senior Yale singing group, the Whiffenpoofs. He was well known over the years for his solo performance of "Bermuda Buggy Ride," and was often asked to sing it at concerts decades later.

After college, Duane enlisted as an officer in the US Army Counterintelligence Corps, where he served from 1953 to 1956. After his military duty, he completed a Latter-Day Saints mission in the British Isles from 1958 to 1960. Following his mission work, he worked for Howard Hughes while attending the University of Southern California law school, where he received his juris doctorate in 1962. After practicing law for several years, he accepted the position of San Bernardino County Superior Court Commissioner, with the belief that he could do more good as a family court and juvenile judge than as a practicing attorney.

He married Joy Black in 1964, and adopted her sons, Matt and David. The couple had two more children, Kirsten and Tiffany, and adopted a third son, Ben, before divorcing in 1971. Duane married Dyann Thomas in 1992, and subsequently adopted her son, Aaron.
Throughout his working years he never gave up his love for music and theater. One of his first roles in Southern California theater was as Judd Fry in Oklahoma, where he was so convincing that a young boy pointed to Mr. Thomas' picture during intermission and commented to his mother, "I hate him. He's mean." Many will remember him in his leading roles at The Gallery Theater, in Ontario, California, The Candlelight Pavilion, and Inland Valley Repertory Theatre in Claremont. Some of his favorites were Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof), Daddy Warbucks (Annie), Emile De Becque (South Pacific) and Morrie (Tuesdays with Morrie).

Duane volunteered his time in many ways with his two favorite charities; He committed his beautiful voice to recorded readings for the blind and dyslexic. He was an avid painter, and expressed his love of art by donating his time and expertise to the Associated Artists of the Inland Empire. As an active board member, he participated in monthly artist demonstrations and helped organize Associated Artist's annual art show.

He will be remembered for his love of theater, his passion for watercolor painting, and wonderful baritone singing voice, his family shared. "Most of all, we will remember him for the warm and loving heart he gave to us all."

A champion and encourager of young talent, Duane’s memory lives on in the Duane Thomas Memorial Scholarship Fund, which provides free tuition to children to attend summer Camp IVRT musical theatre workshop and free tickets to children to attend professional theatre productions.

thank you to our 2025 donors!

Cristina Antoniolli

Christa Backstrom

Tiffany Berg-McMahon

City of Claremont

Jennifer Deal

Katie Distelrath

Gloria J. Minano Doty

Berenice Dunham

Phil and Krista Elhai

Wendy Evers

Matthew and DawnEllen Ferry

Gregory Glass

Ellen Hamilton

Russel and Nicki Heskin

Denise Hines

Patricia Hoppe

Mark and Susannah Hough

Kiwanis Club of Claremont

Michelle Knight Reinhardt

John and Joanie Lightfoot

David and Debbie Lightfoot

Kim Methvin

Cindy Mills

Frank and Donna Marie Minano

Paula Pitzer

Vince Polito

Karen and Michael Rosenthal

Ron and Ronda Rubio

Debbie and Mike Silva

Rosemary and Edward Singel

Jennifer Stark

John and Katherine Torpey

George Waters

Fritz and Mary Weis

Darcy and Matthew Weis

Eric and Denise Whitson