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Obituary: Johnathan D. Thiesse

Jonathan David (Jon) Thiesse, 64, of Canton, CT passed away on Friday, September 13, 2024 at home surrounded by his loving family after a courageous fight with prostate cancer.


A Celebration of Life will be held on October 1, 2024 at Holcomb Farm North Barn Pavilion located at 113 Simsbury Road, West Granby, with visitation from 5 pm to 7:00 pm, with a short memorial service at 6:15. An additional Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Minnesota.


Jon was born on March 16, 1960 in Fairmont, MN to Vernon and Lois (Malo) Thiesse. After spending his early years in Fairmont, the family relocated to Starbuck, MN, where Jon attended all 13 years of school and graduated from high school as an honor student in 1978. He grew up on his family’s farm among the herd of beef cattle and rows of corn and soybean, doing his share of chores in between his many school activities. At Starbuck High School, Jon was a star athlete in both basketball and football, and played drums in the high school band. As a member of 4-H, he showed steers at the Minnesota State Fair with his siblings, bringing home a bounty of ribbons. His family enjoyed vacations to the mountainous western U.S. national parks, and often took excursions with the Opdahl family who owned a nearby farm, where Jon and his sister and brothers could be frequently found.


He was Senior Class President and President of the National Honor Society, and he earned commendation status in the National Merit Scholar Program. Following high school, Jon attended North Dakota State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.


After college, he was employed for several years at Summit Engineering in Reno, NV, before relocating to Connecticut. He carried his calm Midwestern presence and easy smile wherever he went. A licensed Professional Engineer in both California and Connecticut, Jon spent the remainder of his engineering career devoted to public service in municipal government, first for the City of New Britain, Connecticut, and then as the Town Engineer for Bloomfield, Connecticut until his retirement earlier in 2024.


Jon married Patrice Murphy (Nelson) in 1983 and they later divorced. While married, they were blessed with a daughter, Lanaya. Jon was always a very proud and devoted father and was a constant presence in Lanaya’s life. Jon married Melissa Blais on September 7, 1996. The couple shared a passion for playing volleyball and met on the court. They became teammates for life, helping each other through the challenges and celebrating the victories, running local volleyball leagues in the Farmington Valley, hiking with friends, spending time in their ever-expanding gardens, raising goats and traveling with friends and family during their 28 years of marriage. Jon enjoyed nature and the outdoors, playing golf, and was a sports enthusiast, especially for his favorite sport of hockey. (Go Wild!)


In his later years, Jon had a lasting, positive impact on his chosen Connecticut hometown of Canton, using his engineering and municipal government skills as the Chairman of the community’s Planning and Zoning Commission which he joined in 2013 and served on for 11 years. He was previously a member of the town’s former Planning Commission for three years. Under Jon’s leadership, the town received multiple honors from the American Planning Association Connecticut Chapter, including in 2015 and 2019 for the implementation of its updated Plan of Conservation and Development. The Implementation Awards recognized the plan as a planning project of unusually high merit for which there are demonstrated results. As Chairman of the Plan of Conservation and Development Update Committee, Jon accepted the award with Town Planner Neil Pade, and the 2013 Annual Report of the Town of Canton was dedicated to the POCD Committee. In 2019, the community received a Connecticut Main Street Award of Excellence for its success in using form-based codes to address nondescript, sprawling development along a suburban corridor linking established historic village centers. The work resulting from both initiatives also was used to support numerous grants, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars provided to the community in subsequent awards.


In addition to his wife Melissa and daughter Lanaya Nelson of Norwalk, CT, Jon is survived by his mother Lois Thiesse of St. Peter, MN; brothers Kent Thiesse (Liz) of Lake Crystal, MN and Clint Thiesse (Dana) of Reno, NV; sister Jennifer Thiesse (Randy Menk) of St. Peter, MN; and his twin brother, Jeff Thiesse (Jay Falcon) of Fountain Hills, AZ. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law: Deborah Thomas (Leonard) of


Ellington, CT and Rebekah Johnson (Allen) of Collinsville, CT, and many nieces and nephews and their children.


Jon was preceded in death by his father Vernon Thiesse; father-in-law Joseph Blais; mother-in-law Barbara (Canedy) Blais; brother-in-law Bradford Blais and his wife Mary Ann (Wright), and his special Aunt and Uncle, Ruth and Roland Milow.


The family expresses their heartfelt appreciation to the many friends and family who supported Jon and Melissa in a myriad of ways over the last 17 months.

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Valley Happenings

Fighting Cancer Pasta Dinner:

Benefit for Avon Volunteer Fire Department

Deputy Chief Dave Theriault

Saturday, February 22, 2025, 3:00-7:00 p.m. 

Avon Senior Center, 635 West Avon Road, Avon

AVFD Deputy Chief of Administration Dave Theriault is facing a tough battle against Stage 4 cancer. The AVFD, along with Tunxis Hose Co. No. 1 and the Farmington Fire Department, is holding a pasta dinner to help raise money for Chief Theriault’s medical expenses. In addition to delicious food, drinks, and camaraderie, the event will feature dozens of raffle prizes. Event tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and children under 10 years old. They can be purchased at the door or in advance at AVFD Headquarters, 25 Darling Drive, Avon (Mondays, 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. and Tuesdays-Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). Contributions can be made via Venmo @supportDave or by mail to the AVFD at 25 Darling Drive, Avon, CT 06001. 

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Canton Community Health Fund Applications

Canton Community Health Fund, Inc. Opens 2025 Application Season, on March 1, 2025, for Canton Community Partner Grants & Canton Scholars Pursuing Careers in Healthcare or Public Safety Canton Community Health Fund, Inc. (CCHF), opens its grant and scholarship application season March 1. CCHF encourages State of CT certified non-profits serving the Canton community to apply for Community Partner grants. In addition, graduating high school seniors seeking higher education in healthcare or public safety are invited to apply for either a Dr. Diters Legacy Scholarship or a Pay It Forward Scholarship. Applications and informative Fact Sheets are available online at www.cantoncommunityhealthfund.org.  Community Partner Grant and Scholarship awards will be announced in June/2025.

 

Avon Library events

AVON –The following events are scheduled at Avon Free Public Library. The library is at Avon Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon. All programs are in person except where noted. For more information on adult programs, contact Adult Services Reference Desk via avonref@avonctlibrary.info 860-673-9712 x 7203

• Antique Map Collecting 101, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. Registration is required: https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/antique-map-collecting/

• Morning Book Club. Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m., The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, Registration is required: https://www.avonctlibrary.info/events/tag/morning-book-club/

• Meditation for Balance and Inner Contentment. (Virtual Event) Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 pm.

• Eastern Coyotes in Connecticut (Virtual Event) Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

• Fashion and the First Lady (Virtual Event). Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.

• Hoop Skirts to Flappers: Eighty Years of Connecticut Fashion. Monday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

• The Golden Age of Hollywood. (Virtual Event) Tuesday, March 4 at 2 pm.

 

Simsbury Lions Club

The Simsbury Lions Club is looking for people interested in volunteering and contributing to better our town. Our motto is “We serve,” and we do so by volunteering at local events and donating our proceeds to serving interests in our community.

If interested, please feel free to contact Sandy Kremer at Tprkremer@gmail.com or Philip Painchaud at painchaudp@gmail.com.”

 

Winter sowing workshop

The Farmington Land trust is hosting a winter sowing workshop focused on raising native plants. Make your own up-cycled greenhouse from a milk jug and prep some beneficial native plants for the coming growing season. Sunday, Feb 2 from 11a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Farmington Senior Center. RSVP here: https://www.farmingtonlandtrust.org/event-details/winter-sowing-seminar-native-seed-planting

 

Wild Flowers from Spring to Fall

CANTON – The Cherry Brook Garden Club is hosting a lecture on “Following Our Wild Flowers from Spring to Fall” on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. at the Canton Community Center, lower level, 40 Dyer Avenue. Steve Messier, Lichenologist and former Science teacher at Canton High School will discuss the topic. The lecture is open to the public. There is a $5 guest fee for non-members. Email questions to cherrybrookgardenclub@gmail.com.

 

‘Five Wishes’ at McLean

SIMSBURY – Join Kevin Baran, M.D., medical director, and the McLean Hospice Team for a special “McLean & Me Educational Series” presentation to learn how to talk about and record your wishes for care through the end of life, so those wishes can be understood and respected. The presentation will be held at McLean’s Garmany Performing Arts Center, 50 Sarah Lane, Simsbury, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. The presentation is free but an RSVP by Feb. 4 is required as seating is limited. A light dinner will be provided.

To register, visit McLeanCare.org/Events, email Margaret.Clark@McLeanCare.org, or call 860-658-3718.

 

‘Art Throb!’ Exhibit

Gallery on the Green presents “Art Throb!” Exhibit plus a Solo Exhibit by Kathi Packer Friday, Feb. 14 through Saturday, March 15. An opening reception is on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 6-8 p.m. and will include refreshments. The show and reception are free.

“Art Throb!” is a heartfelt Valentine’s Day celebration presented by the membership of Canton Artists’ Guild. The artists use a wide range of media including painting, prints, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics and mixed media to represent the emotional intensity, joy and complexity of love.

In the upstairs Gallery, Kathi Packer has a solo show, “Another Tale.”  Packer notes that a friend’s casual invitation to go on safari in 2008 substantially changed the direction of her artistic journey.The gallery is located near the intersection of Dowd Avenue and Route 44 at 5 Canton Green Road in Canton. Hours are Friday – Sunday, 1-5 pm. The main floor gallery is handicapped accessible.

Website: http://www.galleryonthegreen.org; Phone:  860-693-4102

 

TABLESCAPES fundraiser returns to benefit the new

Avon History Museum

AVON – The Avon Historical Society invites the public to its sixth TABLESCAPES event showcasing up to 30 creative and original table settings on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 at the historic North House, 1 Nod Road, Avon.

This event will feature themed table settings from local professional designers, florists, businesses, individuals, artists and others featuring fresh floral arrangements, centerpieces and accessories. Proceeds will benefit the installation of professionally curated exhibits in the new Avon History Museum scheduled to open on Friday, July 4, 2025.

Back by popular demand will be a “Table and Barware Tag Sale” on both days. Admission to TABLESCAPES includes the tag sale. Tickets are $20 each pre-sale and at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at www.avonhistoricalsociety.org or by calling Mary Harrop at 860-670-3225 before March 8.

Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can also call Harrop.

 

Alzheimer’s Support Group

FARMINGTON – Hearts, Hugs & Hope: An Alzheimer’s Support Group takes place Feb. 20, 2025, 6 p.m. at Farmington Station Assisted Living and Memory Care Community, 111 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through. You will also learn about proven strategies to help you better care for your family member. This group is being offered both in person and via Zoom on the third Thursday of each month. If you plan to attend, contact Director of Compass Programming Katherine Jedynasty at kjedynasty@farmingtonslr.com.

 

Used book sale

AVON - A huge book sale will be held Feb. 28 and March 1 in St. Ann’s Church Hall, 289 Arch Road at Route 167.  Hours are Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ($5 adult admission) and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (no admission fee).

Thousands of books will be organized in separate sections, including Fiction, History, Biography, Politics, Children, Music, Cooking, Sports, Art, Vintage, and more!  A large selection of Children’s books will be available.  Fiction books will be divided by hardcover, paperback, and trade paperback and sorted alphabetically by author.  DVDs, CDs, books on CDs, Vinyl records, and puzzles will be available, also.  Most books will be $3 or less with vintage and specialty books priced higher.

 

Daisy Days: All-Girls Summer Day Camp Experience

FARMINGTON – Miss Porter’s School, a renowned institution with a legacy of empowering young women, is excited to announce the launch of Daisy Days, an all-new day camp for girls entering grades 3-5 this fall. Starting this summer, Daisy Days will offer a unique, joy-filled experience designed to spark creativity, build confidence, and inspire self-discovery in an empowering all-girls environment.

For additional details, visit pcgl.porters.org/daisy-days.

 

Artist demonstration

Avon Arts Association will hold a guest artist demonstration featuring  Granby artist Laura Eden on Tuesday, February 18 at  Avon Town Hall, 60 W. Main St., lower level, at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Eden will demonstrate egg tempera painting.

The demo is free and open to the public ($5 suggested donation). A workshop with Ms. Eden will be held at the same location in the Avon Room on Saturday, Feb. 22, 10-2 with  set up at 9:30. Fee: $45 for members, $55 for nonmembers). www.AvonArts.org

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