Leonard A. Thomsen died peacefully, in his sleep on November 13 at home in Falmouth. He was 94. His death was not unexpected and his last days were filled with continuous visits and loving support from his family.

Leonard was born and raised in Portland. His parents were Thomas C. Thomsen and Amalia Bertelsen, whose extended families immigrated from Denmark to New Brunswick, Canada in the 1880’s and then to Portland in the early 1900’s.

Early in life, his family was shaken by the untimely death of his father, Thomas C. Thomsen and within a year, the death of his younger sister, Violet C. Thomsen. Shortly after this Amalia moved her family to a small apartment house on Grand street, from which Leonard attended Nathan Clifford and Portland High School, graduating in the class of 1932. During his school years in Portland, Leonard delivered news papers, worked small jobs around the neighborhood as well as at the counter of the Peggy Ann Ice Cream Shop on Congress Street. This was a job he always remembered fondly.

In 1936, Leonard graduated from the University of Maine, Orono, with a degree in Chemical Engineering. At this time he moved to New Jersey to take a position with Merck & Co. Within three years, the United States would be plunged into World War II and Merck & Co. was placed under the control of the U. S. War Department, having been declared an industry vital to the war effort. Leonard was dispatched to Philadelphia for the entire war to manage and meet production goals for proprietary medicine and chemicals.
As all this was unfolding, Leonard went on a blind date with a young woman who summered on Long Island in Casco Bay. Jeanne Beaujon Woodward captured his heart and they were married in Colonia, NJ, on April 29, 1939. It was during these war years in Philadelphia that Leonard and Jeanne’s three children were born. In 1950, Leonard was transferred back to Rahway, NJ. The family lived in Westfield, NJ until Leonard retired after 35 years, from Merck as Senior Plant Operations Manager.

Leonard and Jeanne and their children spent their summers on Long Island, in Casco Bay. With retirement at hand and all of their children now residing in New England, Leonard and Jeanne decided to move to Maine. In 1974, they purchased some land in West Falmouth on Blackstrap Road. The following year, their sons, Thomas and Erich, who had started a contracting firm, Woodward Thomsen Co., built them a new home. Leonard found that retirement did not suit him and he took on the role of office manager and comptroller for Woodward Thomsen, Co. His second career was off and running. Leonard worked for the company for the next 24 years, finally retiring at the age of 84.

Leonard was a devoted husband and father. Throughout his life he encouraged learning and demonstrated the value of a work ethic to his children. A true Dane, Leonard was under-spoken, never complained about anything and rarely raised his voice in concern or anger. His standard attire was a coat and tie. He even wore a shirt and tie with his bathrobe when not feeling well. He left a caring and indelible imprint on all who knew and loved him. He and Jeanne enjoyed traveling and took many trips through Europe and the Carribean. They often spent time in Florida in the late winter but they never wanted to be away from Maine for too long. For the last several years, Jeanne and Leonard have lived at Ocean View in Falmouth.

Leonard was pre deceased by his sister, Mildred Anna Barteau, his brother, Elwyn Arthur Thomsen and his son, Erich Woodward Thomsen.

He is survived by his beloved wife of seventy years, Jeanne Woodward Thomsen, his daughter, Karen Thomsen Oldfield, and her husband Joseph, of Greenland, NH; a son, Thomas Woodward Thomsen of Portland; two grandsons, Eric Oldfield and his wife Lucy of Manhattan, and David Oldfield, of Somerville, MA., and his granddaughter, Jane Oldfield-Spearman, and her husband Patrick of Exeter, NH. Leonard is also survived by five great grandchildren.

A Memorial Service and Reception is planned for Monday, November 23rd at 11:00 AM at the First Parish Unitarian Church, 425 Congress Street, Portland. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Changing Tides Foundation, Long Island ME, 04050.

For further information, please call Karen at
(207)650- 5541