Thomas Todsen

Dr. Thomas K. Tom Todsen passed away Wednesday, December 22, 2010, at Windcrest Alzheimers Care Center in Abilene, Texas. A private memorial will be held in Las Cruces, New Mexico, at a later date.
Tom was born October 21, 1918, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to Lorenz K. and Ellen Christensen Todsen. The family moved to St. Petersburg when Tom was 12 he graduated from high school there in 1935. When he took his college entrance exams, he received the highest score in the entire state of Florida.
Tom received his Bachelors degree in 1939 and his Masters in 1941, both in chemistry, from the University of Florida, Gainesville. While at the university, Tom met Margaret C. Dorsey they married August 4, 1939.
Tom served in the U.S. Army as a Chemical Warfare Service officer during World War II 19421947 he was discharged as a Captain. He also served in the Army Active Reserves from 19511962, attaining the rank of Major.
After the war, Tom returned to graduate studies at the University of Florida, earning his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1950. He taught at New Mexico State University NMSU in Las Cruces, New Mexico, until May 1950.
In June 1950, Tom was hired as Chief Chemist at White Sands Missile Range WSMR. He promoted rapidly, culminating with his installation as Director of the Army Missile Test and Evaluation Command, one of the posts top civilian positions. He served in that capacity for many years before retiring from WSMR in 1978.
Tom then turned his full attention to pursuing his varied interests in Southwest postal history searching the U.S., Mexico and Central America for wildflowers, particularly wild orchids and wildflower photography. Because of his extensive knowledge of botany, he became an Adjunct Professor of Biology at NMSU. He resided in Las Cruces until late 2009, when he moved to Abilene. Tom lived at Wisteria Place Assisted Living for more than a year before transferring to Windcrest.
For all his intellect and scientific rigor, Tom was also a consummate people person. He was well known and highly respected by the staff at WSMR and NMSU, as well as by the many people he met from around the world through his correspondence and travels. Tom was devoted to his family and friends. He was unstintingly generous with his time, talents, treasure and affection, and held a genuine interest in and appreciation of the world around him and all that inhabited it.
Tom constantly sought new places and new subjects to explore. He discovered a new species of fossil snail, and a new wildflower that bears his name: Todsens pennyroyal Hedeoma todsenii. He authored a book on New Mexico territorial postmarks, and coauthored one on the travelling railroad post offices of Mexico.
Tom was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Las Cruces, where he served as an elder and lay pastor. His warm bass singing voice was well known at the church.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Lorenz and Ellen Todsen by his beloved wife of nearly 49 years, Margaret Todsen and by his older brother, Birger Todsen.
Survivors include son Thomas A. Todsen of Las Cruces, NM son William Larry Todsen of Abilene, TX grandson John and his family grandson Pete grandson Adrian sister Erna Harmon, and her children Ron Harmon and Bonnie Jakob and their families, of the St. Petersburg area sisterinlaw Roberta Collar of Ocala and numerous nephews and nieces.