Donald Leon Thayer, 79 of Hope, passed away Friday April 30, 2010 at Miller's Merry Manor after being a resident there since October 17, 2009.
He retired from Columbus Regional Hospital after 35 years in the Facility Engineering Dept. He farmed the family farm and retired from that in 2008. He was a member of the Chapel of the Good Shephard Church which is on land donated by his parents.
The funeral will be Tuesday at 11:00 am at the Chapel of the Good Shephard Church with Rev. Bill Tennyson officiating. Burial will be at Flat Rock Baptist Cemetery west of Clifford with Military Graveside Rites performed. Visitation will be Monday from 4 -8 at Norman Funeral Home in Hope and from 10:00 am until service time Tuesday at the church.
Memorials may be donated through the funeral home to Hospice of South Central IN, Hope or Clifford Volunteer Fire Dept. or the Chapel of the Good Shephard.
Born August 27, 1930 in Flat Rock Township, Don was the son of John and Winona Pugh Thayer. He married Carol Annette Smallwood November 26, 1955 at Trinity Methodist Church in Seymour and she survives.
Don was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served during the Korean War on the U.S.S. Menard and in Guam from 1950-1954. He began attending his Naval ship reunions 20 years ago and was the proud host of the 2007 reunion in Columbus and Hope.
He loved to garden, make apple butter from his mother's recipe, make oatmeal raisin cookies for his Rook playing buddies and their wives, and loved bowling.
When his son was growing up, he took great pleasure in coaching his little league baseball teams. He was a Purdue basketball fan and a die hard Chicago Cubs fan. He adored his grandchildren and attended their activities as he could.
Survivors include his wife Carol; children, Kim (Lowell) MIller of Hope, Steven (Karen) Thayer of Scipio and Kay Ellen Thayer (Fiance Carlos Gutierrez) of Novi, Michigan; grandchildren, Paige Annette Miller of Hope and Wesley Glen and Benjamin Smallwood Thayer of Scipio; sisters, Ann Land, Jane (Glen) Keller, Joan Turney and Bonnie (Tom) Bradley; sister-in-law, Vivian Thayer, several nieces and nephews and lots of cousins.
Don was preceded in death by his parents; brother, James H. Thayer; sister, Kathleen Stuart; brother-in-laws, Paul Land, Glen Stuart, Kenneth Lashley and Rev. Ralph Turney and special nieces, Mary Stuart Marsh and Beth Thayer Secrest