David Stanley Thomas, 77, died at his home in La Mirada, California, on June 8, 2024, following a series of health challenges. He was born on July 4, 1946, in Willits, California, the eldest son of Stanley and Erma Peterson Thomas. He was raised in Malad, Idaho, and graduated from Malad High School in 1964. He attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and graduated in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in accounting and a minor in business
management.

David was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as a military intelligence officer in the Panama Canal Zone during the Vietnam War. Upon returning home from his service, he was involved in a business cooperative called The Union Block in downtown Provo. He was also a founding member of The Gathering Place, a peer-oriented drug treatment/rehabilitation program with offices in several northern Utah cities.  

In August 1974, David married Rochelle Skinner in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They made their first home in Salt Lake City, where David managed an innovative downtown department store called Keith Warshaw & Co. Their eldest son, Aaron, was born in Salt Lake, and they added a younger son, Adam, and a daughter, Amanda, after moving to southern California in 1979. They lived in Whittier for a few years before building a new home and moving their family to La Mirada in 1985. David traveled extensively for work but still found time to coach his kids’ soccer teams and serve in various church leadership positions. He and Rochelle made regular summer visits to the historic Skinner family home in Nounan, Idaho. 

Starting in 1984, David was involved in the home décor and gift industry at all levels, including retail, territorial sales manager, national sales manager, vice president of sales, chief operating officer, and sales manager. He retired in December 2014 after a successful 30-year career in sales and marketing for various companies and organizations. 

David is survived by his wife, Rochelle, of La Mirada, CA; two sons, Aaron (Toni) Thomas of Kingston, MA, and Adam (Stacy) Thomas of Kaysville, UT; one daughter, Amanda (Ryan) Wilson of Marana, AZ; and 10 grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers, Tim (Gretchen) Thomas of Ketchum, ID, and Ned (Cherlynn) Thomas of Henderson, NV; three sisters, Nancy Nalder of Brigham City, UT, Ann (Jon) Ward of Reno, NV, and Connie (Doug) Albrechtsen of Providence, UT; and two brothers-in-law, Brian (Lori) Skinner of Murray, UT; and Mark Skinner, of Yucaipa, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Stanley and Erma Thomas; in-laws, Dr. Earle and Nadine Skinner; two brothers, Dennis and Marvin Thomas; and two brothers-in-law, Lynn Nalder and Anthony (Tony) Skinner. 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 6, at 11:00 a.m. at the La Mirada Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 15100 Cordova Road, La Mirada, CA.