Ian Melville Thomas

Retired Laboratory chemist and consultant Ian Thomas died March 1 at his home after a valiant struggle with cancer.

Born in 1935, Thomas attended the highly regarded Repton School as a boy during World War II in England. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1956 and a Ph.D. in 1959, both in chemistry, from the University of London. He came to the United States in 1960, but will always be remembered as a true English gentleman.

Prior to his career at the Lab from 1983 to 2000, Thomas worked for 20 years at Owens-Illinois Inc. in Toledo, Ohio. He was an inventor of the Sol-Gel anti-reflective coating, which was first successfully applied to the Nova laser and is now used on every high-powered fusion laser in the world today.

Thomas shared many hobbies, his favorite being home-consumption wine making.

His wines won several awards. His hobbies linked him to the outdoors, whether it was experimental boat and model aircraft design, or gardening; his hydroponics garden grows an assortment of near perfect tomatoes.

Thomas is survived by his wife of 48 years, Deborah; daughters, Mary, Margaret and Elizabeth; and seven grandchildren, with one more on the way.

A memorial service was held March 4 in Livermore. Donations may be made in Thomas’ name to the Hope Hospice of Dublin.