Lester S. Thomsen, in an undated photo, on the porch of the house on Kearney Street where he lived a few years back.
Updated
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CENTRALIA – The B Street area is in mourning.
Mourning for a man said to have been born 65 years ago in the Centralia Hospital.
An early riser, who’d given up on driving, but rarely stayed home.
Duane Thornton said it was about a year and a half ago that Lester Thomsen asked if he could rent a room at his house on Crescent Avenue. Thomsen had been living around the corner with the neighbors on Kearney Street, but they got tired of his drinking, he said.
Thomsen had a bicycle, and he rode the bus.
He did a lot of visiting, Thornton said.
“He would go hang out at the depot, at Wal-Mart, he’d go to the senior citizen’s place, the Salvation Army; he did all that stuff,” Thornton said. “And he was a big man. His hands were twice the size of mine.”
Thornton yesterday was trying to figure out where Thomsen was headed, or what he was doing walking on the railroad tracks just a few blocks south of home.
“We don’t know exactly what happened,” he said.
Police say it was just before 11:30 a.m. on Thursday when a southbound passenger train coming into the station was trying to slow, hitting the horn for the man walking with his back to the train.
The engineer said the man looked over his shoulder and began to leave the track at an angle, instead of just jumping off it directly sideways, according to police.
“This morning was the first morning I didn’t hear Les stumbling around the house making coffee,” Thornton said. “And he always wanted a coffee royal, just a splash of whiskey.”
He was one smart man, with a heart of gold, he said.
The two of them were 10 years apart, but both used to be loggers, so they were really tight, he said.
Thornton assumed his older roommate had ridden his bike to the train depot, to catch the city bus to Wal-Mart, he said. But he didn’t keep tabs on him on his daily outings.
“He’d say, ‘I’m going to go check out the lay of the land’,” Thornton said. “Or, ‘I’m going to go whoring around’. He loved to say that.”
On Kearney Street, James and Corrie Aker offered comfort to Thomsen’s grown son.
James Aker said Thomsen in his last years had lived in three different houses in the neighborhood he called the B Street area, just west of the railroad tracks at the north end of town.
Back in the day, James Aker said, Thomsen had a nice house with property on a hill in town.
“He went into the Army, because he got caught moonshining,” Corrie Aker said. “He told me that story 100,000 times.”
Thomsen was proud of his past as a diesel mechanic and a logger, she said.
Thirty-two-year-old Thomas Simpson sat in the Aker’s living room, petting his black lab and absorbing the loss of his father.
“Walking on the tracks,” Simpson exclaimed. “Why would you walk on the tracks, especially if you can’t hear?”
Simpson was angry, mad at the coroner who wouldn’t let him see his dad, he said.
Corrie Aker dug out a photo she’d taken one summer when Thomsen had recently moved in with them, he and her husband sitting on their front porch playing cribbage.
She said she’d known Thomsen probably four years, and his son should try to remember him him the way he looked in the photo.
He had a lot of friends everywhere, Corrie Aker said.
“And he could ride his bike straight as an arrow on rum,” she said.
Yeah, someone repeated, he could ride his bike straight as an arrow on rum.
•••
CORRECTION: This news story has been updated to correct the spelling of Lester Stephen Thomsen’s last name.
•••
For background, read “Man fatally struck by train in Centralia” from Thursday April 2, 2015, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I am the other son of his, too bad I had to learn of his passing by using a search engine. But, that is life as it is known now. RIP Les.
I didn’t know Les Thomsen, but I think he led a more successful life than many would think. For sure, material things do matter, as do our shortcomings, but none of them go with us when we’re gone.
What’s really left behind are people whose lives we’ve touched personally in a positive way…and Les appears to have done just that. He won’t be forgotten.
Lester had a heart of gold .. he looked for nothing more than to enjoy the happiness of others … he and I spent many times together { i learned many things about the Lewis county area from him}. He has very loyal … { something that others could learn from} and would be willing to give a hand to anybody in need .
Live long and prosper good friend you will be missed
just as in my perception of who Les enjoyed sharing with all that found there path a better place while listening to Les and finding his wonderlust for the good ole days.
Lester was a long time family friend! Your absolutely right about him being knowledgeable about families! I can still hear him telling his stories! RIP Lester!
This is not the time for somebody to be preaching from the pages of Alcoholics Anonymous. Celebrate the man’s life. Let him R.I.P.
Lester was a cool guy. I would see him around every so often when I rode the bus. I remember complimenting him on one of a few hats he would wear. A warm-looking fur hat. I was once on the bus from Centralia to Chehalis and he spoke to me about how much the surrounding area had changed over the years. I found out he was pretty knowledgeable. The day before the accident I was on the bus when he got on at the Chehalis Walmart wearing a Davy Crockett raccoon tail hat. I had no idea that that would be the last time I’d see him on the bus… May he rest in peace. He was such an interesting person to talk to.
Its hard to understand how things like this happen. A train is very loud and you can feel its power as it comes toward you. This almost seems like suicide. Whatever it may have been you will be missed. RIP my fellow Centralian
My husband and I both new Lester. He was a good man and a gentle man. He was always helping people even though he didn’t have a lot of money. He had lots of stories and read a lot. Loved reading cowboy paperback books. Everyone knew Lester. You could always see him riding his bike around town. We will miss him and hope that the Lord takes care of him like he did for everyone else.
I knew Lester…. The world is missing a good man now. RIP
Its a very sad day. My heart and prayers go out to his family. I know he will be missed dearly. RIP Lester. Huggs to all.
He was a big, loud, goofball who treated everyone really well and I never heard him say anything bad about anyone. Great sense of humor too. When he shaved off his beard, his kids didn’t recognize him and they screamed, this was a long time ago, Thomas probably doesn’t remember that. He had this long, drawn-out way of telling anecdotes in his booming voice. He couldn’t stand raisins because when he was little, his mother put them in all her dishes. He worked really hard. He was very bright and you could see him working things out behind his eyeglasses. I once saw him do something very thoughtful: he pulled his car over and turned off the headlights of a parked car, the driver had left them on. From what I saw of him, he was a decent human being. RIP Lester.
Went to Jr. high with him , didn’t talk to him until a few years ago when I told him we went to school together. He attended our annual class reunion last summer with lots of stories. Would see him at the Star Tavern in Chehalis and this winter he told me he was living in a tent behind Goodwill and to not tell anyone!!!!! So glad he had people who took him in. R.I.P. Lester
Thats to bad, lester was big loud funny guy, i feel bad for his son Tom.
Sounds like a kind and helping man. Sometimes those are the ones who need help the most as Bill said.
Lester was one of the most kind hearted men I have ever known! He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. He almost always had a story to tell. This man would give you the shirt off his back. Lewis County will never be the same.
Fly high with the Angles Lester. Tell Mushroom Mel, Wes Dean, Donny, and the rest of the boys hi for me. Until we all meet again.
Had another friend who started his working day with a beer every day. He fell out of a barn that he was building and broke his back and his neck. Said he would never drink again when he was in the VA rehab facility. Fought his way back from being a paraplegic to be able to walk again and come home after a year or so. Started drinking again as soon as he was home.
Died two years latter in a car “accident”. Of course he had been drinking – if he was driving he was drinking.
Coroner said he died from a broken neck caused by the airbag hitting him off center because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt as was his usual custom. That was the identified cause of death but the underlying root cause for his early demise was chronic alcoholism.
We all make choices. I can’t say that I make the right choices either.
He was a good man. There was not a mean bone in his big body. I will miss him very much.
Even good hearted people live shortened lives if they are chronic alcoholics. Some die in accidents, others die from the health consequences.
At some time in our lives addictions are still a choice that we can walk away from. In old age not so much.
I’ve got a close friend in the hospital right now. Although she has been diagnosed with various problems, I believe the root cause is chronic alcoholism. I don’t think that she can quit drinking but she will have to moderate and find a health balance if she wants to live outside of a nursing home.
May God bless you, Les.You are an Angel watching over now.
Prayers and loving thoughts to you and your son.
Lester knew stories and history of old familys in towne. Also had a big heart for a big man. I never knew a bad word to his being of character. My condolances to his family and friends. Never forget him till my dying day.
This man sounds like a very nice man this story reminded me of my late brother he was a friendly person also I wish more people was like this person much respect im sorry for the loss of this person may he rest in peace my condolences to his friends and family
Very sad…. Rip logger. Much respect.