Thomas Toner was an American painter, educator, and art historian whose career was closely associated with St. Louis University, where he taught for more than thirty years. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Toner later earned a Ph.D. from Oxford University.

At St. Louis University, Toner served as Professor of Art and Art History, chairman and founder of the Department of Art and Art History, and a member of the Executive Faculty. His interests extended beyond teaching and painting into historic preservation and civic engagement. He served on the Monuments Commission for St. Louis, was appointed to the Missouri Sesquicentennial Commission, and played an important role in the restoration of Cupples House, helping secure its placement on the National Register of Historic Places.