Charles (Chuck) Calvin Thomas, 78, of Wilton passed away on Thursday, Nov. 13.
Chuck was the son of Calvin and Margaret Thomas and was born on March 31, 1947, in Whittier, CA, where he was also raised. After completing high school in Whittier, Chuck enrolled at UCLA, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics, followed by a Master of Business Administration in 1971.
During his formative years, Chuck served as senior class president at Sierra High School, president of his Eagle Scout unit, and worked summers for Mobil Oil Corporation as a general warehouse worker and forklift operator. In college, he served as president of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, worked a summer in California’s Wilmington Oil Field as a field crew truck driver, and later in Xerox Corporation’s logistics and distribution department.
Chuck joined IBM Corporation’s Summer Graduate Marketing Trainee Program in 1970, and after receiving his master’s degree, began full-time at IBM as a sales associate based in Denver, CO. While in Denver in 1975, he met Betsy Wells Conder, the love of his life, and they married the following year. Chuck and Betsy built a beautiful life together, settling in Wilton in 1980 and raising two wonderful children. They were a formidable team and enjoyed countless adventures traveling to exotic locations around the world.
Throughout his career, Chuck held executive leadership positions and worldwide responsibilities at IBM Global Financing in direct and reseller channel sales, marketing, operations, pricing, contract practices, information technology and business transformation. After retiring from IBM, he provided asset financing consulting and project management services for clients in Western and Central Europe as well as in China, where he helped two major technology companies develop strategic financing programs over several years. In 2011, he joined the Alta Group, a leading international management consulting firm with an exclusive focus on equipment leasing and finance, where he enjoyed working on a more flexible schedule.
Outside of work, Chuck enjoyed a wide range of hobbies, including skiing in Colorado, fly-fishing in Montana with friends, gardening, spending time with his family, and building model trains. His artistic skill and passion for model railroading were unmatched, and he spent the better part of 20 years meticulously recreating the Salt Lake train route from Salt Lake City, UT, to Los Angeles, CA.
Chuck is survived by his wife, Betsy, of 49 years; his son, Bill (Erin) Thomas of Wilton; his daughter, Kristin (Peter) Whiteford of Wilton; grandchildren Kelsey, Everly, Emma and John; and his sister, Susan Pons of Mission Viejo, CA.
Like his father, Chuck insisted that flowers are for the living. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Chuck’s honor to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.