Thomias Smith

Nov. 21, 1963 — July 23, 2024

Thomias (Tom) Smith, age 60, of Carmichael, Calif., and Basin, Wyo., was killed in the CalFire Kneeland plane crash July 23, 2024. 

Tom was born Nov. 21, 1963, in Oxnard, Calif., and grew up a Navy brat, traveling all over the United States. He attended high school in Japan and Virginia, where he taught himself to play guitar and played in bands all during his teenage years. After graduation he became a machinist and then a heavy equipment mechanic for 16 years before deciding to attend A&P school in honor of his grandfather Francis Cook. He attended school full time while working full time, graduating with high honors from the program in 2006. He worked with NASA for a short time and then started at CalFire/Dyncorp, working on their helicopters and helping to save many lives and homes. He was a dedicated, respected and loyal employee, diagnosing problems with the helicopters from his hospital bed only one day after suffering a cardiac arrest and was back on the job after a few weeks. He rarely missed a day of work and made himself available to anyone with a question.

He loved adventure and speed and raced his 1967 Pontiac GTO at dragstrips, raced motorcycles, motocross, downhill mountain bikes, cross country bikes, shot 3-Gun matches, and played on paintball teams.

Tom loved music, especially metal, and loved playing his guitars. He had a unique sense of humor and liked making people smile. He loved Wyoming, his dog Ryka, shooting guns, baseball, fishing, RC cars, muscle cars and old trucks; but most of all, he loved and cherished his family, always making time for them. His children and grandchildren were everything to him, and his legacy will live on in them.

He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years Luana, mother Sandra Wall of Manteca, Calif., son Timothy of Natomas, Calif., daughter and son in law Serena and Alex Green of Okinawa, Japan, daughter Allison of San Antonio and grandchildren Melvin Blomberg, Gregory Green, Jameson Blomberg, Marceline Green, Lauren Guballa Smith, River Pawelczyk, Winter Pawelczyk, Margaux Green, Garrison Green, sister Kaori Roman of Stockton, Calif., his aunt Donna Lee of Santa Rosa, Calif., and many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his brother Christopher Cook, maternal grandparents Francis and Wilma Cook and paternal grandparents Alan and Geraldine Dickson.

There will never be another like him. Our family is broken and will never be the same. The love we had for him was unparalleled. Please pray for us.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Thomias Smith, please visit: https://obits.eastlawn.com/thomias-smith.