Thomas was born November 30, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, a son of Charles Frederick Stahl and Mary J. (Rose) Lyon. Thomas moved around a lot as a child, and lived with his paternal grandparents. He had lived in Kokoma, Indiana; California; Kansas City; and Grandview, before moving to Peculiar in 1980. He was a graduate of Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, MO.
Thomas was united in marriage to Linda Lucille Lucking on June 4, 1960 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was a US Air Force Veteran and served as a Radar Operator at Thule Air Base in Greenland. Thomas was an auto mechanic before his retirement and had worked at a number of dealerships in the area.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Linda, on June 3, 2016; and his daughter, Michelle. Thomas is survived by a son, Scott Lyon (Star Novak), Wellsville, Kansas; a daughter, Tracy Bean (Ron), Liberal, MO; a sister, Mary Goodwin Lyon, Lake Oswego, Oregon; six grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.