Thayer West passed away peacefully on Friday, February 28, at the age of 76 with his children at his side. An avid fly fisherman and paddle player, he was a terrific sport in every sense and will be missed greatly by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Thayer West
Born on October 21, 1948, in Charleston, WV, Thayer was the beloved son of Annette Todd West (née Thayer,) and Herbert Margerum West. Following his family’s move to New Canaan, CT, in 1953, Thayer maintained a lifelong connection to his birthplace, visiting often throughout the years.
He attended elementary school in New Canaan before heading off to Lawrenceville in Lawrenceville, NJ, and The Darrow School in New Lebanon, NY. He graduated from the University of Denver in 1971 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Upon graduation, he began a career in the trade show division of Union Carbide Corporation and studied in the evening to earn his MBA from the University of Connecticut. He continued at Union Carbide in various roles until 1994 when he left the corporate world to join his brother Chris and help expand West Construction Corporation, completing projects that graced the pages of local and national publications including This Old House and Architectural Digest among others.
Thayer was a member of the Potatuck Club of Newtown, CT, and a former member and past president of the Country Club of New Canaan. More than anything, Thayer enjoyed being a resident of New Canaan and it always felt like he knew everyone in town. Above all, Thayer found immense joy in supporting his children’s athletic pursuits, from rec league T-Ball to collegiate lacrosse, always their most dedicated fan. Remembered for his remarkable kindness, patience, and his passion for the Outer Banks, skiing, fly fishing, and sporting dogs, Thayer’s unwavering love for his family and friends leaves an indelible mark.
He is survived by his three children in whom he took infinite pride, Erin West Turkstra (Matthew) of Alexandria, VA, John Thayer Townsend West (Amber) of Sheffield, MA, and Nicholas Beavers West (Steffi) of Richmond, VA; their mother, Susan Henry West of Easton, MD; and grandchildren Meredith, William, Elle, Thayer, and Hank. He is predeceased by his sister, Eleanor Pratt West of New Canaan, but survived by his oldest and youngest siblings, Annette Thayer West of Newtown, CT, and Christopher Zeph West (Kathryn) of Roanoke Island, NC, and nieces and nephews.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Bridges in Norwalk for their exceptional care during Thayer’s final months.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond are appreciated.
A memorial service will be held on June 7th at 1:30pm at the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, honoring Thayer’s life and legacy.
Our deepest condolences to Chris and the entire West family during this sorrowful time. Why does it always seem like yesterday we’d see customers like Thayer at the store with his welcome smile and now sad to read they are gone. He will be deeply missed by everyone at Francos.
My condolences to Thayer’s entire family. I’ve known Thayer for 60 years. One of the nicest people I ever met in my 34 years in New Canaan. Been gone from NC since ‘97, but get Bach a few times a year. Always stop at Stewart’s, and inevitably I would run into Thayer, uncanny. A warm smile, and firm handshake, then we’d reminisce fondly about the 60’s and 70’s. Just a genuinely nice guy. He’ll be missed. RIP
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Dear Erin, John, and Nick,
My condolences to all of you. Your Dad was a dear friend of mine and I miss him very much- his laugh, his smile, his support of doing fun things. We were lucky enough to share two grandchildren, Meredith and William, and in my case, to get to know John and Amber’s charming children- Elle and Thayer. Nick and Steffi, we look forward to meeting Hank.
Your Dad was very proud of you. He tried to be a positive and constructive influence on everybody he had dealings with. It’s hard to say much more supportive than that about a human being.
Rest in peace my friend.
Bruce Turkstra