Norman Branch Thomas

Norman B. Thomas, “Norm” or “Godfather” was child six of six and one member of two sets of twins born to Louis Jordan Thomas and Margaret Fonville.  He was a boss, leader, mentor, serviceman, friend, love, uncle, son, brother and father but his most beloved and proudest titles were “Pepa” “Pop” “Grandpop”.

In his latter years he’d even begun to sign his name as Pop or Pepa including when posting or commenting on social media where one’s name is attached.  He wanted everyone who saw to know, this is my grandson, this is my granddaughter and these are their friends and I’m Pepa to all of them

He’d tell you himself that he was a proud man of humble beginnings, as if straight out of a Horatio Alger novel.  Born in a “Harlem sub-basement” apartment,  he watched his father Louis Thomas work hard, well into his 70s, always toward a better life, at one time being one of only three Black men to be part of the construction team on the Twin Towers in NYC, walking up & down all of those steps every day.    The family would go from PJs & tenaments in Harlem, the Bronx and Throgs Neck to home ownership in the Soundview section of the Bronx and ultimately to owning a big 42 room, 3 family 3 story house with a basement in Mount Vernon, NY that Louis and Margaret would make their final home.  The youngest of the Thomas children was determined to do his best to walk in his father’s footsteps.

One night in his teens, while doing what remained till the end to be one of his most favorite things to do, dancing, he met Juanita Gore, who would become his wife and the mother of his children at a Harlem night club.  The two quickly fell in love, married and gave birth to their first child, Kathy B Thomas while Norman who’d been drafted into the Vietnam War served a tour, mostly in Germany with the Air Force.

Upon his return, the couple quickly became pregnant again, this time with Mariama N Thomas.  Not long after that, they’d move to Rome, NY, leaving little Kathy who’d decided at four that she didn’t want to move to NY, behind to be raised by her maternal grandmother, Ms Cat, who adored Norman.

After Rome, the small, young family was headed back to the Bronx to live, with Mariama being born in nearby Harlem Hospital, but by the time she was only three months old, they were headed to Lower Manhattan, just blocks from the Twin Towers Grandpa Louis had helped to build.

Norman would attend night school at Pace University while quickly working his way through the ranks at Merrill Lynch, Chase and lastly Citibank from where he eventually retired as a Senior VP and had come to be known as “the second Black man on Wall Street” for being the second known Black investment firm/bank officer.  He never finished that degree though.  One day he realized that as a successful banker, he could teach all of those classes himself even having one of his papers stolen and claimed by a professor and decided to drop out.  In hindsight, he probably should’ve gone back at some point and asked that they use his work experience toward completion of the degree, but he kept it moving.  After six years Downtown came Norman and Juanita’s third and last daughter, Okolo K. Thomas.  

Next, Mariama, who’d filled the bill as best as possible as her dad’s son, “a chip off the old block” as he’d say, gave him an actual boy and with the birth of her son, Abishai James, “Pepa” was also born.  Three years later came Armani James, then Kaila Massey, followed five years later by Alijah James and lastly by Onyx Fogler, the youngest of all of his grandkids, from his youngest daughter, Okolo.

His life forever after revolved around those grandchildren until he was no more.  Early on the morning of Monday May 17, 2021, Mariama James found her father sleeping, never again to awaken. He’d long been suffering with 9/11 related COPD and labored breathing that seemed to have worsened while untreated in person due to the COVID pandemic.  His is a tremendous loss to the Thomas Family, the Lower Manhattan community, Wall St community and the world and he will be sorely missed.

His eldest sister, Reverend Margaret Marie Powell, had this to say, “I love you baby bro!  Will miss you sharing our old school music of all genres and your encouraging messages to me about my retirement, pastoring in poetry and song”

Survived by his:    

        Former wife, mother of his children & best friend Juanita Gore - Thomas    

three daughters:        Kathy Thomas - Massey, Mariama James and Okolo Thomas

sons-in-law:            Steven Massey and David James, Jr

grandchildren:            Abishai James, Armani James, Kaila Massey, Alijah James & Onyx Fogler

sisters:                Reverend Margaret Marie Powell  & LarScenia “Twin” Thomas

Brother-in-law:            Butler Gore, Jr

Aunts & Uncles :        Lessie M Roberts, Hazel M Ward, Alice P. Strayhorn, Ray Fonville & Ernest Fonville 

nieces and nephews:         Larscenia “Diane” Staley, Alfonzo “Buddy” Staley  “Little” Norman Thomas, Robert Thomas Jr, Andrea “Andie” Adore, Lorraine Thomas

Other loved ones:        “Bro”~ Reverend Dr Ronal King, “Sis” ~ Ora James, Long-time on & off girlfriend ~ Davida Thomas, Best friend ~ Velina “Lina” Brown

And a host of other great nieces & nephews,  great-great-nieces and nephews, cousins and beloved friends & family

Preceded in death by his:

        Parents: Louis and Margaret Thomas 

        Brothers: Robert Thomas, Sr, Sylvester Thomas and Louis Thomas, Jr

        And many aunts, uncles and cousins

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Norman Branch Thomas, please visit our floral store.