Obituaries

David Thomas passed away on July 16, 2019 after a short illness.
A talented photographer, filmmaker, and visual artist, David was most well-known for his devotion to his wife of 50 years, Mary Ann Thiem. They were together so long they were known, sort of like SonnyandCher, by one name DaveandMaryann.


Born in Akron, Ohio, David served In the US Marine Corps and US Air Force. He spent most of his working career in the film and photography departments of Western Electric and AT&T. During his career he was fortunate to have traveled the world. After one day in Oklahoma, the next in Hong Kong or Switzerland, he loved returning to his homes in New York City and New Jersey. After retiring from AT&T, he produced films and broadcasts for IBM, M&M Mars, and the Quality Institute of America.

When the time came to find the perfect place to retire, Dave and Mary Ann were fortunate to discover Oceanside, California. Dave quickly shed his East Coast snobbery for Oceanside pride, much to the chagrin of his East Coast pals. Since 1999, he spent many enjoyable hours taking and editing photographs for MainStreet Oceanside. In his off hours, he could be found drinking caramel macchiatos at Jitters. He tinkered with electronics, reserved Sundays for watching five games of football at the same time and played golf badly. He and Mary Ann kept up with their world travels and had a special love for trips to Tokyo, Hawaii and Paris. His talent and sense of humor will be missed by his friends and family.

In addition to Mary Ann, David leaves behind his brother Mark, sisters Elaine and Joan and niece Valerie. And, of course he leaves behind lifelong friends all over the world.

A memorial service is being planned for mid-August. If you would like to honor Dave, donations can be made in his name to The Women's Resource Center, 1963 Apple Street, Oceanside, California 92054, or Brother Benno’s Foundation, 3260 Production Avenue, Oceanside, California 92058.

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