Richard J. Thayer

Richard John Frederick Thayer, 76, of Janesville, Wisconsin died peacefully at Mercy Hospital on Friday, November 6, 2015 surrounded by his loving family following a short illness. He leaves his beloved wife of 47 years, Shirley (Brown) Thayer; daughter Marna LaBelle of Janesville; step-daughters Diane Adams (Gus) of Missoula, MT; Vikki Sutherland (Tom Barber) of Santa Rosa, CA; Laura Doherty of Janesville; and Anita Rockwell (Tom) of Eagan, MN; grandchildren Tyler Hughes, Erin & Kelly Doherty, Casey & Ben Rockwell, Dalton & Amber LaBelle; and five great-grandchildren. He is further survived by his brother Roland of Beloit; sister-in-law Donna Thayer of Loveland, CO; aunts Cleila and Pete Wagner; nieces and nephews Teri Reed, Missy Blecker, Jeffrey, Christine & Rodney Thayer, Kerwyn & Tyron Mabie, Kim Miller; and many cousins. He was predeceased by his parents, sister Lola Pate and brother David Thayer. Richard was born November 10, 1938 in Beloit, WI to Frances and Eva (Wagner) Thayer. He graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 1957. He graduated from Beloit College in 1963 with a Bachelors Degree in Art. He served in the Army as a payroll officer stationed in Germany. When on leave, he travelled throughout Europe. He received his Masters Degree in Library Science from UW-Madison in 1976. He began working at the Janesville Public Library in 1966, which is where he and Shirley met. He became known for his unconventional collection of ties including The Three Stooges and Looney Tunes. He was promoted to the Reference Department in 1968, eventually becoming Department Head which is where he remained until his retirement in January 2000. He and Shirley were married August 31, 1968 in Milton, WI. Shirley was the love of his life and not a day went by that he didnt compliment her and give her flowers, candy or a loving card. In August, 2008 they had a very touching wedding vow renewal ceremony held at the Gazebo at Rotary Gardens for their 40th wedding anniversary with all five daughters as attendants. Richard was a long time member of the Tuesday Morning Optimist Club serving as their Program Director and especially enjoyed volunteering annually at the Rock County Fair cheese curd stand. Everyone that knew Richard recognized what a vibrant character he was. He could be found dancing to his I-pod music while mowing his yard or greeting other walkers along the Spring Brook Trail. He loved playing Scrabble, Password and Euchre. He was passionate about movies, going to movie festivals in Ohio and California, and loved writing up movie reviews for his whole family. He was a voracious reader, and loved his sports teams, the Milwaukee Bucks, Green Bay Packers and Chicago White Sox. He always said there were too many movies, too many books, and not enough time to do everything he had a passion for. There will be a Celebration of Richards life on Wednesday, November 11, 2015 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Rotary Gardens, 1455 Palmer Drive in Janesville. A short service will begin at 11:30 am with visiting and refreshments to follow. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Alkhan and the entire Mercy ICU staff for their competent and compassionate care of Richard during the final three weeks of his life. All Faiths Funeral and Cremation Services 1618 E. Racine St. Janesville, WI 53545 (608) 754-8700 www.866allfaiths.com