University of Tennessee School of Music instructor Dr. Kelly Thomas died Sunday night after suffering an allergic reaction to a wasp sting. Thomas was 40 years old.
In a message sent out to School of Music faculty, students, staff and alumni, Director Jeff Pappas referred to Thomas as "our beloved tuba professor".
Thomas was hired to teach tuba and euphonium at the University of Tennessee in 2014. A native of Arizona, Thomas began his studies at Tennessee Tech, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. He went on to earn his Master's and Doctorate degrees at Arizona State University.
"Even though Kelly was only with us for a short time," Pappas wrote, "he made a huge impact on our school."
Thomas was married with four children. Details about services have not yet been released.
