Thomas L Davidson was born in Des Moines, Iowa on July 15, 1931, to Rosiland and Hy Davidson. He was known as Tom, Tommy, TD, Dad, Pop Pop and Poppa Tom. He was fond of saying, “Call me anything but late for dinner.” Tom was a devoted husband to his wife of 65 years, Lois.
He always told everyone that the most important sale he ever made was convincing her, when she was 19 years old, to marry him and leave Beverly Hills to move to Kansas City. He loved his family, appreciated traveling/cruising around the world, and enjoyed spending winters in Palm Springs.
He was passionate about playing golf and was an avid reader who often read two or three books at a time. He loved to tell a good story and enjoyed sharing a drink and a meal with family and friends. He was a runner in the 1960’s before it became a popular fitness craze, and was an active tennis player for 40 years. He had a regular lunch group every day of the week except Wednesday for over 30 years. If you wanted on his calendar, you knew to schedule on a Wednesday.
His family moved to Kansas City in 1935 to help run Davidson’s Furniture on 12th and Grand Avenue. Tom graduated from Southwest High School in 1948 and from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania in 1952, where he was a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity.
Tom eventually purchased Enterprise Wholesale Furniture Company, which transitioned into Davidson Furniture and Interiors. His final business venture was Davidson Archives. He conceived this idea and developed the business from the ground up in his furniture warehouse. He eventually built the company into a thriving archival storage facility, which Iron Mountain purchased from him in 2002.
Tom never met a stranger, loved the art of selling and truly enjoyed people and being a part of the community in which he lived. He served on the boards of Bacchus Foundation, Central Industrial District of Kansas City, Civic National Bank, The Community Blood Center of KC, The Jewish Community Center, The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, The Menorah Medical Center, The Merchants Bank, The Mercury Club, Oakwood Country Club, The Prairie Village Art Commission, The National Wholesale Furniture Association, Rockhurst College (Honorary Board Member), The Rotary Club of Downtown Kansas City, the Teel Institute, and the Truman Medical Center Behavioral Health Recovery Services.
He was proud to have established the Davidson Interior Design Award, which honored an outstanding designer each year and funded an interior design course at the KCAI. He helped establish and then chaired the Prairie Village Art Fair for several years. And he was the board chairman of the Teel Institute, which focused on guiding educators in the area of teaching self-esteem.
He was an active member of The International Wine and Food Society, The Kansas City Club, The Mercury Club, The New Reform Temple, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Society of Fellows, Oakwood Country Club, and The Rotary Club of Downtown Kansas City, and Tamarisk Country Club in Palm Springs, California.
He leaves behind his loving wife Lois and his children Gregg Davidson (Sirenna), Andie Weisz (Keith) and Joy Davidson, and his grandchildren Annie Davidson, Ben Davidson, Allison Kipke and David Kipke. The family thanks everyone at Claridge Court Skilled Nursing for their outstanding care. Their devotion to Tom has meant a great deal to us.
A private service will be held graveside but you can watch by requesting a link at this email address, .
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to The Rotary Youth Camp for the Disadvantaged and Disabled online at rotaryyouthcamp.org or by mailing a check to 22310 NE Colbern Road, Lee’s Summit, MO 64086, or any charity of your choice. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.louismemorialchapel.com.
(Arr: The Louis Memorial Chapel 816-361-5211)
