AUGUSTA – Richard P. Thayer, 85, a resident of Minot, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, at the Maine Veterans Hospital at Togus. He was born in April 1933 in Lewiston, the son of Roger D. Thayer and Yvonne LeClair Thayer. He was a 1951 graduate of Edward Little High School in Auburn. He grew up in Auburn but opted to spend most of his time on his grandfather’s farm in Turner hitchhiking to and from throughout his youth. Following high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served until 1954. He was trained in refrigeration while in the navy and immediately joined a local contractor as a lead mechanic after returning from Korea. He married Eleanor Boothby of Livermore and they bought a farm in Minot in 1954. He and Eleanor raised two children, Cindy and Dan while maintaining the farm in Minot and working for Northeastern Refrigeration in Lewiston. In 1960, he joined Daris Refrigeration in Auburn and eventually became a partner. As one of the best refrigeration technicians of his generation he was driven to make every customer “happy as hell” and provide unparalleled workmanship. In 1981, he started Thayer Corp along with son Dan, a little bit of money and lots of faith. His dedication, hard work and relentless focus on workmanship has been largely responsible for the company’s culture and success. Motorcycles became a passion in the late ’70s and he competed throughout New England for many years until he reached his goal of becoming the New England Champion riding enduros.

He married Pam Biron in 2001, who became his partner and enthusiastic companion in their many adventures. His real passions were hunting, fishing and trapping. After retirement from Thayer Corp. he moved to Alaska to pursue “the big ones”. He rarely left details of any hunt or fishing trip to chance and frequently mentored those who shared his “relentless” style to his craft. He very rarely ever missed a shot and reminded others who did in his own unique style. He was at home in the woods and maintained several camps in Northern Maine where he preferred to spend the much of his time after returning from Alaska. He mentored many in his craft and had a loyal following of many friends across the country. It would not be uncommon to meet some stranger who had a story about Dick’s ventures and wisdom of the wild. He was a very humble man who rarely sang his own praises but in the right company had countless stories that could keep you engaged for hours. During his business career and many pastimes, he was often called “lucky” for his many successes to which he would typically replay, “the harder I work the luckier I get”. He touched the lives of many as a friend, husband, mentor, business partner, sponsor, athlete, veteran and father.

He was predeceased by his parents and first wife, Eleanor; and survived by his wife, Pam Thayer; brother, Robert (Bob) Thayer of Winthrop; children, Cindy Pooler and her husband, Alan, of Chelsea; son, Dan Thayer of Durham; and four grandsons, Ben Ramsdell and his wife, Meghann Gipson of Gardiner, Nicholas Ramsdell and his partner, Evita Sikelianos of Albion, Calif., Tyler (TJ) Thayer of Mechanic Falls and Ross Thayer from Lewiston, Maine.

A memorial service will be held in his honor at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 27, Martindale Country Club, 527 Beech Hill Road, Auburn, Maine. Arrangements and messages of condolence are available at: www.finleyfuneralhome.com.


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