Jack Thomas, a longtime Boston Globe journalist who spent five decades as a reporter, editor, columnist, TV critic, and ombudsman, died on Saturday, Oct 1, 2022, at 83.

Jack Thomas Cancer

In his obituary, he was described as a person who wrote stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. “Jack brought to his craft a level of detail that made the readers feel they too were there,” his obituary said.

After a terminal cancer diagnosis, Thomas sat down and wrote his final piece for The Boston Globe Magazine, which garnered responses from all over the country and beyond.

“How does a person live knowing that the end is coming?” Thomas asked in the piece published in July 2021. “How would I tell family and friends? Would I be depressed? Is there an afterlife? How do you get ready for death, anyhow?”

Jack Thomas’s Wife & Children

Jack Thomas was married to Geri Denterlein, and the two had three children, Jennifer Thomas Rando, John Patrick Thomas, and Fai Thomas Tracy, in 2016.

Geri has been the CEO at Denterlein in Boston, Massachusetts, since 2000. According to her Linkedin, her life work has been at the intersection of business, government, and journalism. In that space, she has been an accomplished leader, recognized by the Boston Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Business, the Boston Globe, and the Boston Business Journal.

For her education, she went to Harvard Kennedy School for a Masters in Public Administration from 1988 to 1990. She is also a graduate f the University of Cincinnati. She went to St Ursula Academy, Cincinnati High School.

Geri has also been volunteering as a Board member of the American Red Cross in Massachusetts since Jan 2003 and Tiffany Circle – Bonnie McElveen Hunter American Red Cross Founding Member. She is also a Trustee of Bridgwater State University after being appointed by Governor Charlie Baker.

Jack Thomas Funeral

His family said a memorial service honoring his life would be held later. He had wished that Donations in his memory to be made to The Tom Winship scholarship Fund or Brantwood Camp, a non-profit camp for youngsters who otherwise would not have the opportunity, where Jack spent many happy summers as a camper and counselor.

While sharing news of Jack Thomas’ death, Lauren Przybyl wrote, “All of us who, like me, are blessed with a pause before death, spend some time reliving the better moments.

A Journalist with The Boston Globe is told he has months to live… he turns to write… which will pull at your heartstrings and leave you breathless.

Jack Thomas passed away Sunday.”