LEGACY OF MELVIN JOHN THOMAS (a Taurus) April 24, 1920-March 31, 2018.
Mel started his professional career as a real estate salesman in St. Louis and in 1947 he opened his own real estate company, Thomas Real Estate. Which is when a part of the St. Louis history of real estate began. He not only sold existing homes but he also built many new construction homes and subdivisions in the North county area.
His progressive ideas led him to be the 1st in St. Louis, in many areas of business such as…one of the 1st and largest owned real estate company with 15 offices, having the 1st fax machine in the 1970’s to distribute information on the homes he was selling (now called MLS sheets, being the 1st in the area to “franchise” his real estate offices. His love of real estate led him to expand his horizons by opening Midwest Real Estate School. It was one of the 1st Accredited Real Estate License Schools in Mo. He also wrote the curriculum for the course and really enjoyed the teaching part too.
In 1978, his 1st daughter Sue, found the beautiful “Shaw Neighborhood” with its strong built homes that were crying out to be saved. Mel again expanded his business as a pioneer and became one of the 1st Rehab Developers in the area. He purchased decaying homes that were sitting abandoned and vacant and in need of gut rehab. He also sold them “custom build” so buyers could choose the amenities in advance, just like a new construction home. Every home was preserved with whatever old charm was still there, or restored them in keeping with their original architecture. And this was all before the area was formally proclaimed a historic area.
Mel’s love of people along with his curiosity and his constant busy mind……kept him young for 65 years, until he actually retired at the age of 85. He was born in 1920 in Maplewood, to Melvin A (an accountant) and Ida (the 1st sales woman to sell refrigerators door to door) younger brother to Dottie who he really looked up to, graduate of McBride High School, an Officer in the Navy in WWII stationed out of Trinidad as the Captain of a rescue and Officer transport ship and also a Lightweight Boxer and winner of a Golden Glove Championship. Father to 5 children, he took the family of 7 on some great road trip vacations and was their “1st Boss” in their own closely related real estate careers. Mel taught the family that “doing right by people” was the only way to go and you can always find a solution to everything. Being a writer and a poet, Mel was the consummate romantic……married to The Love of his life, “Margie” for 68 years and he told her so at least 10 times a day.
Services: Memorial Visitation at KUTIS AFFTON CHAPEL, 10151 Gravois Rd., Saturday, April 14, 12 Noon to 4 p.m. Memorials to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, appreciated.