Ward Thomas was born in San Francisco in 1912 . He received his Bachelor degree in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley in 1935. Between 1935 and 1940 he worked for a number of significant Bay Area architects. According to his resume he worked on governmental housing with William Merchant and Geoffrey Bangs, on housing at Stanfored University with John Branner, on a building for the S.F. Fair for Clarence Tantau, and residences for Hervey Parke Clark. He also was employed by the Farm Security Administration as an architect. During World War II, Thomas was employedby naval architects Joselyn & Ryan, and for the construction firm Swinerton & Walberg. He established his own practice in 1946.

Thomas’ practice included a wide range of projects. He residential projects consisted of single family residences, apartment buildings, dormitories, and subdivisions. He designed and remodeled all types of commercial, research, and office buildings. Some of his larger projects included the Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich offices in San Francisco and buildings for Dominican College in San Rafael. One of Thomas’ largest clients was the California Savings & Loan Company for whom he designed numerous banks throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. He died in 2004 in the home he designed in San Francisco.