David William Thomas, known affectionately as Bill, passed away on July 15th, 2024, in Loveland, Colorado. He was born on July 9, 1941, to David and Helen Thomas in Valentine, Nebraska. Bill graduated from Valentine High School in 1959 and then started college in Hastings, Nebraska, but left early to return to Valentine to run the family business, Thomas Auto Parts, upon the passing of his father.
In 1963, Bill married Diane Fullerton in Valentine, Nebraska, where they made their home, and their five children were born: Teri, Mark, Shelley, Kristin, and Darin.
Professionally, Bill was an entrepreneur at his core where he challenged his business skills in many diverse industries. Bill eventually moved away from Thomas Auto Parts to focus on his new business, Valentine Cycle Center, a motorcycle dealer that sold Harley Davidson and Honda motorcycles. He brought the first three-wheeled motorcycle, the Honda ATC 90, and the first compact Honda car, the N600 Sedan, to his rural community.
In 1974, Bill and Diane moved their family to Greeley, Colorado where he sold fire alarms for a brief period before joining Big “A” Auto Parts, a large national auto parts chain, as a traveling sales representative. He then became Assistant Manager of the Denver Distribution Center. In 1978, He became manager of the North Hollywood Distribution Center in California. Bill and Diane moved the family to Saugus, California. Bill left Big “A” Auto Parts in 1990, where he started his own consulting business that helped companies secure business plans and financing. During this time Bill purchased the rights to Doel-Fin, inc., a boating and fishing marketing company. Bill was instrumental in creating an industry around outboard hydrofoils that is thriving to this day. In 1994, Bill and Diane moved to Loveland, Colorado, where Bill continued his consulting business until his retirement in 2008.
Bill’s hobbies included golfing, fishing, wine making, and wood carving. Bill was an award-winning wood carver who specialized in birds. Bill eventually moved to carving clay and then casting it in bronze, where he achieved multiple artist recognitions. Bill’s works can be found in many government buildings around Colorado.
Bill was diagnosed with dementia in 2014, and the disease slowly worsened until his death. Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Blanche, Mildred, Mary Louise; his brother, Keith; and grandson, James Mathew Case.
Bill will be forever remembered in the hearts of his family: his wife, Diane; his children, Teri of Loveland CO, Mark (Kristin) of Arvada CO, Shelley (Mike) McGrath of Valencia CA, Kristin (Bryan) Case of Visalia CA and Darin (Shawnette) of Firestone CO; 14 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A service to celebrate Bill’s life will be held August 17th, 2024, 10:00am at Mount Hope Cemetery in Valentine, NE.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Dementia Together in memory of Bill. https://dementiatogether.org/give/
Their mission is “No one has to walk the dementia journey alone.” This organization supported the family through Bill’s long battle.
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