It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Archives co-founder, David Henry Thomas, who passed away at home on October 25, 2025. A distinguished figure in the Michigan cultural heritage community, Mr. Thomas was a devoted lover of history, a treasured friend of many, and a kind and generous community volunteer.
Born in Highland Park on June 22, 1934 to parents Raymond and Ida (Rosemergy) Thomas, David had a dynamic upbringing in the Detroit area. He held various jobs as a young boy, including a runner on a milk truck and delivering papers for the Detroit Newspaper. As a child, he spent many summers with his family in Central, which no doubt influenced his deep affinity for the Copper Country. After high school, he stayed in the Keweenaw whenever he had the chance, later dedicating his adult life to preserving the Central Church and working to preserve the region’s significant history.
David was proud to enter the Coast Guard in 1955, serving as a Yeoman on several ships during his four years of service. He entered the Reserves in 1959 and helped develop the Reserve Unit in the Keweenaw. It was during his time on active duty that he met his to-be wife, Kathleen, marrying on October 4, 1958. The couple had two children and spent most of their 67 years of marriage in the Copper Country.
The family moved to Calumet in 1964 and David began a long career at Michigan Technological University. With his long affiliation with the Michigan Tech Library he served as Head of Technical Services, an Assistant Librarian, and co-founder (along with Bob Patterson) of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections. He retired in 1993 after years of dedicated professional service, making many deep friendships along the way.
The history of the Michigan Tech Archives and its strategic development in the 1960s and 1970s owe a debt of gratitude to David’s tireless efforts. While the early years of the library saw efforts for important historical titles to be separated from the main stacks as early as the 1930s, space limitations in the early Library prohibited an active solicitation of archival materials to build the Archives. The opening of the J.R. Van Pelt Library in July 1966 ushered in a new era, with a dedicated reading room and storage area specifically designed to house a permanent archives collection. As co-founder, David played a primary role in actively soliciting and acquisitioning local history materials starting in April 1969. Focus areas included documenting the economic, cultural, and social history of the region. During 1969 and into the early 1970s the department collected broadsides, maps, photographs, business records, family papers, newspapers, oral histories, and some moving image materials. During this period, David completed his Master’s degree at the University of Michigan in 1976. Although he did not begin his efforts as a trained archivist, his library expertise, love of history, and deep knowledge of the Copper Country set the Archives on a solid foundation as it worked to formalize its program. The University signified its commitment to an active archival program in 1978 with the hiring of its first professionally trained archivist, Theresa Spence. While there has been some changing of the guard since David’s retirement, the cornerstone he helped place will have an enduring influence on the archives program, past, present, and future.
David lived a storied life of professional service, community involvement, and deep family connections. To learn more and to celebrate his memory, please be sure to view the full obituary, which is available from the Erickson-Crowley-Peterson Funeral Home. Information about the visitation and how to offer memorial tribute are included in the obituary. Current and future Archives staff will be sure to remember Dave and keep his spirit alive in the stacks!