▁W GN - TV ▁stud ios ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁died ▁on ▁April ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁He ▁had ▁hosted ▁the ▁local ▁E aster ▁Se als ▁tele th on ▁the ▁day ▁before ▁he ▁was ▁str icken . ▁He ▁was ▁surv ived ▁by ▁his ▁wife , ▁Ann , ▁his ▁daughter , ▁K itt y , ▁and ▁his ▁son , ▁Jeff . ▁Thomas ▁received ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Academy ▁of ▁Television ▁Arts ▁and ▁Sciences ' ▁Govern ors ' ▁Award ▁for ▁his ▁television ▁work ▁post hum ously ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁The ▁Thomas ▁family ▁don ated ▁Gar field ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁pu ppets , ▁along ▁with ▁Thomas ' ▁uniform , ▁to ▁the ▁Museum ▁of ▁Broadcast ▁Communic ations . ▁The ▁ 2 5 0 0 ▁block ▁of ▁West ▁Brad ley ▁Place ▁in ▁Chicago ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁W GN - TV ' s ▁stud ios ▁is ▁honor arily ▁named ▁" F raz ier ▁Thomas ▁Place " ▁in ▁his ▁memory . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁Museum ▁of ▁Broadcast ▁Communic ations ▁awarded ▁W GN - TV ' s ▁Studio ▁ 1 ▁a ▁pla que ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁forty ▁years ▁of ▁children ' s ▁television ▁broadcast ▁from ▁the ▁studio . ▁ ▁Gar field ▁Go ose ▁and ▁Fri ends ▁with ▁a ▁li ken ess ▁of ▁Thomas ▁and ▁Gar field , ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁pla que ▁along ▁with ▁Ray ▁Ray ner ▁with ▁Ray ▁Ray ner ▁and ▁Fri ends ▁and ▁Bob ▁Bell ▁and