David Thresher

In Loving Memory of David W. Thresher

David Thresher of Union, Connecticut, passed away peacefully at age 81.  

He was the salutatorian of his High School class. He graduated from Western New England University with an engineering degree. While raising his young family in Illinois, he earned his MBA. David worked as a civilian in various branches of the military as an industrial engineer and retired as Group Chief of Technical Assessment with the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).

He met his wife Edna when they worked together at Jarvis. After they were married, they moved to New Jersey and then to Illinois, and then settled in Connecticut. David enjoyed numerous road trips with his family across the country to national parks. In retirement every summer was spent enjoying the mountains and lakes in Maine.

David is preceded in death by his parents, Norman and Loretta, his sister Norma, and his brothers Kenny and Gary. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Edna; sister Shirley; brother Alan; his sons Jason (wife Belinda); and Kurt (wife Tricia); and his grandson Ben. 

While David enjoyed a multitude of sports, one of his favorite things to do was hit the links with his beloved brother Ken whenever possible. He was also a life-long Boston Red Sox fan. Although he was a quiet man, David let his voice be heard when the Red Sox were playing—especially when they broke the curse of the Bambino in 2004 and won the World Series. He enjoyed cheering them on to victory again in 2007, 2013, and 2018 just as vociferously. 

David found comfort and joy in exploring nature, and he passed this love on to his sons.  He and Jason hiked many mountains in New England.  Two of the most memorable were Tumbledown and Old Blue Mountain. In 2001, David was a constant source of support when Jason hiked the Appalachian Trail. David drove to multiple states and various trailheads to share his selfless acts of kindness with Jason and fellow AT hikers, including making pancakes and giving out trail magic. He taught Jason to stick to the trail, believe in himself, and never give up.

David was a fan of camping – an activity the whole family enjoyed together. One campground they visited was a very rustic state park in Vermont, which had an honorary fee system. David always paid the fee, leaving a lasting impression on his son Kurt that honesty and integrity were practiced even if there wasn’t anybody around to hold you to account.

From an early age, Ben shadowed Grandpa. Whether Grandpa was teaching Ben to ice skate, giving him a hammer and nails to help build a shed, or letting him take the wheel of the small boat on Upper Richardson Lake, Grandpa was always happy to share his knowledge with his grandson.

David adored his friends and family. His dry humor, love, and kindness will be missed most of all. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in David’s name to the Wounded Warriors Project. The family will have a celebration of life in the spring of 2026.