Calvin Clifford "Cal" Thomas
Marriages
Rita Delores Isenhart - 1950
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise - December 26, 1996
After a long fight with cancer, Cal Thomas, a pioneering Vail publisher, journalist and Red Cliff Town Clerk, died quietly in his sleep Dec. 22 at his daughter's's house in Boulder. He was 72.
A local memorial will be held following the holidays, with a date and place to be announced. Mr. Thomas was born Nov. 30, 1924 in Scranton, Penn., where he graduated from Central High School in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946; he was awarded two battle stars during his European Tour.
He attended Syracuse University in 1946, where he majored in political science and graduated with a B.A. degree in 1950. He met his wife Rita Delores Isenhart while attending the university, and the couple was married when Calvin graduated. They made their first home in Scranton, where Mr. Thomas had been employed throughout the high school years as a news reporter for the Scrantonian.
The couple moved to St. Petersburg, Fla. in 1950, where Mr. Thomas worked for the St. Petersburg Times as assistant editor. He spend the next 10 years in management positions at the newspaper. He went on to serve as the assistant business manager with the Quincy Patriot Leader in Quincy, Mass.
In 1963 he was named publisher of the Trentonian in Trenton, N.J. From there he joined the Minneapolis Star and Tribune as director of marketing and then as publisher of the Minneapolis owned Sentinel newspapers in Denver.
In 1974 he achieved his childhood dream of owning his own newspaper, the Vail Villager.
In 1989 he served as Town Clerk of Red Cliff and served during the administrations of Walter Fox and Barbara Fresquez. During that time he was instrumental in rebuilding the town's infrastructure and municipal government. He was tireless in preparing the community for the future. He was later invited by the Vail Town Council in 1985 to serve on the community's Town Charter Review Committee, where his work resulted in important reforms to the Vail Town Charter.
His lifelong love of journalism led him to become a founder of the Vail Valley Public Access Television Channel, where he was co-anchor and producer of NewsVail, the area's first locally-produced TV news program.
During this time in Vail and Eagle County he was a sage, a nurturing visionary, a man who brought to life his dream for the future. He will be missed by his family and the community he loved so much.
Mr. Thomas is survived by his wife, Delores and daughter Michelle Leifeste of Boulder; sons Jeffrey Thomas of Elizabeth, Colo., and Brad Thomas of Aurora; granddaughters Amalia, Anna, and Morgan; and a sister, Helen Lewis of Scranton Pennsylvania.
Vail Valley Times page 13 - December 24, 1996
After a year-long fight with a cancerous brain tumor, Cal Thomas died quietly in his sleep Sunday night at the home of his daughter in Boulder.
Thomas, 72, will best be remembered in Eagle County for his spirited newspaper, the Vail Villager, which sought to lay out the truth as best he could ascertain it. His newspaper made the other, more established newspapers, sit up and take notice, improving the quality of their newspapers. He may also be remembered for his professional appearance and demeanor and his ever-present tweed jacket.
His news policy did not always lead to strong advertising support. The paper folded after several lively years, but he never lost his interest in the politics of Vail or Eagle County.
More recently, he shepherded Red Cliff as town clerk, managing a miniscule budget to meet major infrastructure needs.
Born in Scranton, Pa., Nov. 30, 1924, he graduated from Central High School in 1943 and shortly thereafter joined the U.S. Army. He served in the Army until 1946, receiving an honorable discharge. He was awarded two battle stars during his European tour.
In 1946 he entered Syracuse University, majoring in political science and graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1950.
While at Syracuse, he met Rita Dolores Isenhart and upon graduating, married her. They made their first home in Scranton, where Cal had been employed throughout his high school years as a reporter for the Scrantonian.
In 1950, they moved to St. Petersburg, Fla, where he was assistant editor of the St. Petersburg Times. He spent the next 10 years in management positions, then going to the Quincy Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Mass., as assistant business manager.
In 1963, he became publisher of the Trentonian in Trenton, N.J., and from there went to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune as director of marketing. Finally he became publisher of the Minneapolis-owned Sentinel newspapers in Denver.
In 1974, Cal Thomas achieved his childhood dream of owning a newspaper, the Vail Villager.
In 1989, he responded to the call for government service, and as Red Cliff town clerk, served during the administrations of Walter Fox and Barbara Fresquez. During the last seven years he was instrumental in rebuilding the town's infrastructure and municipal government. Through tireless and heartfelt efforts, he prepared the community for a brighter, more prosperous future.
He served in government functions in Vail, as well. His personal integrity led to his participation in the 1985 Town Charter Review Committee.
His lifelong love of journalism led him to found Vail Valley Public Access Television Channel. He was the co-anchor and producer of Newsvail, the first locally produced television news program.
Said close friend, Jim Lamont: "in his tome in Vail and Eagle County, he was a sage and nurturing visionary. A man who brought to life his dream for our future. He will be missed by his family and the community he loved so much."
He is survived by his wife, Delores: one daughter, Michelle Leifeste of Boulder; two sons Jeffery Thomas of Elizabeth and Brad Thomas of Aurora; three granddaughters, Amalia, Anna, and Morgan; and a sister, Helen Lewis, of Scranton, Penn.
His body will be cremated. A memorial will be held locally in his honor after the holidays, with the date and place to be announced later.
