Koruthu (Tommy) Thomas passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 11, 2021 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease in Missouri City, TX. Tommy was born in Kerala, India on August 1, 1936 to the late M.K. Koruthu and Rachel Koruthu. In 1955, he married his wife of 66 years Baby Thomas, who survives.
Tommy was a graduate of Indian Institute of Hotel Management in Mumbai and worked for the Indian Railways where he loved telling stories of his journeys with the Beatles and Jackie Onnasis.
Tommy moved to the United States in 1969 to pursue his education in hotel management via University of Massachusetts at Amherst and finding his way to Wellsville via Alfred State College. Tommy was the evening manager at the Texas Hot until his retirement in 2000. Tommy always had a big smile and wave to everyone who came by. He loved Wellsville as his adopted home and chose it as the place to raise his beloved family. He loved planting a big garden in the summer and sharing its treasures with his friends and neighbors.
Tommy’s main love was his family. He loved big family gatherings and barbeques and spoiling his two grandchildren. He made friends wherever he went in his travels.
He retired to Missouri City, TX in 2001 and was a member of the St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Church.
In addition to his wife Baby, Tommy is survived by a daughter Regini John (Jacob), a son Regi Thomas (Sudha), a daughter Renu Thomas (John) and grandchildren Ashley John and Joseph John, a brother M.K. George of Raleigh, NC. In addition to his parents, Tommy was predeceased by a brother Rev. Dr. M.K. Thomas.
*A picture that he was really proud of … Texas Hot 75th Anniversary – the Indian guy on the elephant – he had never been that close to an elephant like that! Stay tuned for more about “Tommy!”
