To many Glenview residents, the name Paul H. Thomas may not be all that familiar.  After all, those of us who reach a certain age have a tendency to fade from recent memory.  At 97, Paul had not had boots on the ground in the community for a while — but for those of us who knew him — it seems like yesterday that he was sitting at the table with us at the History Center as we planned our next endeavor.

By now you may have read his impressive obituary and know that, among his vast accomplishments, he served as Village President from 1967-1973. In addition, he was deeply involved in nearly every aspect of community life, including serving as president of the (then) Glenview Historical Society.  But, if you spent any time at all with him, you’d have been aware that his family was at the center of his life.  His wife, Joan, along with daughters Barbara and Susan (and, later, the grandchildren) were at the center of his universe.  He was a family man par excellence!

Paul loved to tell the story that his tenure with the Glenview Area Historical Society began in a rather curious fashion.  It was during his stint as Village President that those who founded the organization pointed out they felt he had an obligation to support this fledgling group.  He said he’d look into it — and ultimately did so, becoming its champion decade after decade.

My Historical Society association with Paul commenced when I joined its Board of Directors in the late 1980s.  It was soon clear to me that he devoted much of his boundless energy to the “care and feeding” of the organization.  While his career had led him to focus largely on its financial well-being, one of my most vivid recollections involves the annual “spring cleanup” day on the grounds of the property.  Clad in t-shirt and sunhat, he would be out there energetically pulling weeds and trimming shrubs alongside all the rest of us – sometimes wondering aloud (albeit with a smile) if some might endeavor to be a just a little bit more productive!

As our association progressed, I came to realize that he and I shared a great appreciation for the notion that “in order to understand where you’re going, you need to know where you’ve been.”

Although his list of accomplishments was very long, I’d venture that he considered one of the greatest to be serving with his close friends, Jim Smirles and Tom Smith (both past Village Presidents), as they organized Glenview’s Centennial celebration in 1999.  What a great event it was!

Paul leaves an enormous legacy within our Village.

Well Done, my friend…And may you rest in eternal peace!

Beverly Dawson
President
Glenview History Center

A Tribute to Paul Thomas

Upon arriving in Glenview in 1970, I almost immediately was welcomed by my about-to-be colleagues who were serving as the Village Manager, Park District Superintendent, Librarian and Glenbrook Superintendent.  They didn’t want any time to pass before letting me know “how we do things in Glenview.” The “how” focused on communication, cooperation and collaboration. Shortly thereafter, I met the Village President, Paul Thomas, and almost immediately said to myself “he lives the ‘how’ that my new colleagues were sharing with me.“  Upon meeting Paul, one immediately recognized a person who exuded friendliness, understanding, a willingness to listen, and a zest for making the community in which he lived the best community possible. Unbeknownst to Paul, he became a significant role model in my life as I observed him in countless situations where he truly listened to people, sought the counsel of others, found ways to work with groups with differing opinions in a manner that resulted in a win-win outcome, and believed that communicating, cooperating and collaborating were essential if government hoped to provide the broad array of public services and facilities that a first class community desired, and in an efficient and effective manner.

Paul was always available to look at issues from various perspectives, to offer alternatives and to provide support.  He also recognized that the future of a community was destined by how well leaders in a community prepared the next generation to step into their shoes.  Because of this, he organized the Glenview Leadership Council, which identified individuals with leadership ability and introduced them to individuals in community leadership and the issues the various leaders in Glenview’s public agencies were addressing.   Paul had a deep-seated belief that the best leaders were objective individuals that had no agenda other than making Glenview the best community in which to live. It is because of Paul’s influence, and others like him, that Glenview, although it has grown considerably in recent years, continues to be the family oriented community it is.

Paul understood and appreciated the uniqueness of our community.  I am sure that was one of Paul’s motivations in taking a leadership role in creating and supporting the Glenview Historical Society, which now is known as The Glenview History Center.  He recognized that our community was unique from its founding and felt a responsibility to preserve its history for future generations. 

After 97 years, Paul was called to his eternal rest on March 29th.  Although he moved to Decatur to be closer to his children and grandchildren several years ago, the years he lived in and served Glenview continue to reflect the gifts he gave us.  Thank You Paul!

Bill Attea
Treasurer
Glenview History Center