One of his Shillito-Rike’s colleagues, Mike Gleim, called Mr. Thomsen “a wonderful person,” whom he considered a mentor.
“He identified good people, and surrounded himself with good people who were very loyal to him,” Gleim said.
Mr. Thomsen, who moved to Dayton in 1972, also served as the chairman of the Dayton United Way Campaign and sat on the boards of several of Dayton’s businesses and arts organizations.
He and his late wife, Flora, were active and generous supporters of the arts.
Mr. Thomsen was born in New York, graduated from Cornell University in 1940, and served in the Army Air Corp during World War II.
After being honorably discharged in 1945, he entered the executive training program at Federated Department Stores. Federated, which now operates Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, was the parent company of Rike’s, the merged companies of Shillito-Rike’s and Lazarus department stores.
Mr. Thomsen is survived by sons Ira (Susan) Thomsen, an attorney, and Jim (Beth) Thomsen, a pediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon, as well as six grandchildren.
Ira Thomsen said his father always was his role model.
“I remember him every day because I try to live my life like him,” Thomsen said. “He was a really loving father and a stern businessman who cared about people. He was a gem.”
A Memorial Service will be held for Mr. Thomsen at 11 a.m. Monday at Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Drive in Dayton.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that donations be made to the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra or the Dayton Art Institute.
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