the life of

dr. rooney lee thomas II

The Life of

dr. rooney lee thomas II

Early Life

Dr. Rooney Lee Thomas, II affectionately known as Lee by his family, was born February 21, 1974, to Rooney Lee Thomas and Maudie Deborah Cox (Thomas) in Miami, Florida at Jackson Memorial Hospital.  He was eleven months younger than his older sister Kieshalia L. Stephens (Thomas).  His mom would often dress them alike.  He was smart and inquisitive and enjoyed playing with trucks. He was an early reader.

As an athlete Dr. Thomas excelled in every sport he played. At a young age he participated in BMX bike competitions. He also participated in baseball from little league to Miami Palmetto Senior High School as a pitcher. He excelled in football from Pop Warner to D1 college football as a linebacker.

He graduated from Palmetto Senior High School in 1992 with the following accolades: Miami Palmetto’s Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year; Miami Hearld’s Scholar Athlete, Jack Harding Chapter Scholar-Athlete in football and Glenn Grant Athlete Award in wrestling all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and volunteering at the Children’s Home Society.

After high school, Dr. Thomas attended Stanford University where he majored in Biology and excelled as a scholar and athlete. After Stanford he continued to Medical School at John’s Hopkins University (early decision, without having to take the MCAT). He completed his medical residency program at UTMB in Galveston, Texas. He found his life’s work and true calling in Anesthesiology.

Professional Career

Dr. Thomas joined The Permanente Medical group in 2005, where he took on an early leadership role as the Physician Operating Room (OR) Director. He remained in that role for about ten years. During that period, he worked with the team to improve OR efficiencies and streamline workflows and processes. Dr. Thomas was a skilled anesthesiologist who truly enjoyed being in the OR and patient care. He was renowned for his compassionate, meticulous care, going above and beyond for his patients, particularly those battling cancer. Beneath his professional demeanor, resided a warm and compassionate heart. Throughout his career he was a strong advocate for preventative healthcare and striving to improve the overall health and well-being of his community.

Personal Life

The greatest joy of Dr. Thomas’s life was his son, Salvador Elijah. For the first nine years of Salvador’s life, Rooney dedicated himself to nurturing his son’s intellectual curiosity, imparting his knowledge of math, science, and engineering. He instilled in Salvador a love of sports, coaching his son’s flag football and soccer teams, and sharing in the thrill of attending sporting events together, (Go ‘Canes). One day he dreamed of opening a father-son car shop, sharing his passion for automobiles and mechanics with Salvador.

His passion for automobiles was legendary. From his first Subaru, he cultivated a deep appreciation for cars, meticulously collecting his dream vehicles and building a thriving side business that was more a beloved hobby than a profession. He cherished the camaraderie of his fellow car enthusiasts, forging lifelong friendships within the community.

Dr. Rooney Lee Thomas is survived by his son, Salvadore Elijah Thomas (Mother – Rosalinda Alvarez); Mother, Maudie D. Cox; father, Rooney Lee Thomas; Sister, Kieshalia L. Stephens (Duane); niece, Nia Stephens; nephew, Ian Stephens; aunts, Linda Coakley and Cynthia Barnum (Greg); uncles, Roderick Thomas, Roosevelt M. Cox, Jr. and a host of cousins and other family members.

“As the inevitable occurs, the glow remains when the light has faded.”

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