Amanda Thomas

Amanda Rachael Pinski Thomas

With deep and painful sorrow, the family of Amanda Rachael Pinski Thomas announces her unexpected passing on Saturday, October 15, 2022, following a valiant years-long fight against substance addiction.

Amanda, 42, was born in Erie on March 25, 1980, the daughter of Jeff and Doris Stawniak Pinski. Raised and educated in Fairview, she was the president of her high school drama club, and for two years served as drum major of the award-winning Fairview High School Marching Band where she also excelled at clarinet.

Several years after her bat mitzvah at Congregation Brith Sholom, she spent a summer in Israel before graduating from high school in 1998 and enrolling at the University of Vermont, where she majored in Environmental Studies. She also attended the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies at Boulder, Colorado, and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Amanda was smart, witty, tech-savvy, funny, well-read and strongly opinionated on many topics, particularly whenever and wherever she saw social injustice. She had an infinite capacity for love: love of her family, love of her friends, and love of people everywhere. As a result, she was loved by all.

An animal lover by nature from early childhood, she owned and adored several cats. Amanda was also a lifelong fan of live theater, especially musical theater, and enjoyed all forms of concerts and performances by rock bands and symphonic orchestras. But the true love of her life, constant companion and forever soul-mate was her husband, Jeffery Thomas, her senior prom date whom she married in 2005 and later renewed vows with in 2021.

Amanda was preceded in death by a great grandmother she was particularly close with, Katherine Ul; and by her doting grandparents Vincent and Wanda Stawniak, and Bess Tagoff Pinski Stone. She was also preceded in death by an uncle, Richard Stawniak, and grandfather, William Pinski, both of whom she never knew; by her step-grandfather, Milton Stone; and by her mother-in-law, Trish Thomas.

In addition to her husband and parents, Amanda is survived by her father-in-law, Lloyd Thomas of Erie; sister-in-law, Rachel Thomas of Nashville, Tenn.; brother-in-law Matt Thomas of Erie; uncle James Stawniak of Venice, Fla.; aunt, Marcia Coblitz of Cleveland, Ohio; and many, many cousins.

Friends may call at the Burton, Quinn, Scott Funeral Home West Ridge, 3801 W. 26th Street, on Wednesday from 10 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m., with Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman officiating. Burial will follow at Congregation Brith Sholom Cemetery, W. 26th and Asbury Rd.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Amanda’s name may be made to the Anna Shelter, the Erie Humane Society, or to Congregation Brith Sholom.