He remained an active pilot into his 80s. Among other appearances, in 1958 he appeared as a guest challenger on the TV panel show "To Tell the Truth". In 1962, he narrated a children's recording, "The Story of Mr. Globe" which was produced by Replogle Globe, Inc in Chicago, Illinois. From January 1967 until December 1974, he represented District E in the Alaska Senate as a Republican. He left the State Senate to become the 3rd lieutenant governor of Alaska under Governor Jay Hammond. Long a resident of Alaska, he was known for his interest in the now-defunct Naval Arctic Research Laboratory based in Barrow, Alaska, currently the home of Iḷisaġvik College. Much as his father had done he ventured into the harsh environment of the ice islands where research was done by scientists on the Arctic Ocean and its atmosphere including the Auroras. He published his adventure in "National Geographic" in 1965 as well as numerous other productions and publications, including a movie on king crab in the Aleutian Islands. The Thomases were generous philanthropists, and were involved in the building of the biathlon training facility above Girdwood, the Thomas Planetarium at the Anchorage Museum, and the Thomas Center for Senior Living at St. Mary's Episcopal Church where he and Tay were long-time members and supporters. In 1995, he was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the National Parks Conservation Foundation, and in 2004 the Alaska Conservation Foundation awarded him with a lifetime achievement award as well.