David Carl Thyren (1951-2024) Obituary and Memorial

Life story

David Carl Thyren, 73, met his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Thursday November 7, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer over the past two years. David was born July 9, 1951, in Montclair, NJ to George and Marion Thyren. He graduated in 1969 from James Caldwell High School in Caldwell, NJ and from Trinity College in Deerfield, Ill in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in Christian education and a minor in Music.

He worked one year at his home church in Christian education in NJ before moving to a job at Timber-Lee Christian Center in East Troy, WI. He worked on the buildings and grounds crew and led the service team. It was there he met his future wife, Barbara Russell, who worked there also. They were married November 26, 1977, in Fennimore, WI, and lived in rural Crawford County for 1 1/2 years before moving back to his hometown in New Jersey, where he worked various jobs before being hired at Bell Telephone Labs in Whippany, NJ. He worked building and grounds maintenance for 25 years, retired from Lucent Technologies in 2007 and moved back to Boscobel.

They had three daughters, Anna Marie (Luis) Bonilla, Kristina Thyren, and Elsa (Josh) Stanton all of Fennimore. In 2000, David followed his heart in becoming a Civil War Re-enactor with the 33rd NJVI. The family participated in many living histories, school presentations, and large national events along the East coast. When they moved back to Boscobel they became members of Battery B 4th US, then later Cushings Battery for a short time, and finally the 6th WI Light Artillery. He enjoyed many events all over Wisconsin and school presentations in many local schools over the past 17 years. Sharing his knowledge of the Civil War was very important to him.

David worked as a custodian at the Boscobel Elementary School for a few years and then at the Boscobel Cemetery during the summers. He was a member of Maple Ridge Bible Church.

David is survived by his wife of 47 years, Barbara; 3 daughters: Anna, Kristina and Elsa; 11 grandchildren: Victoria, Luiz, Alejandro, Orlando, Leticia, Lucia, Evita, Carmen and Diego Bonilla, and Brooklyn and Carli Stanton all of Fennimore; brother Paul of Adele, WI; and sisters: Polly (Dirk) Ottens of Kempton, PA. Robin (Wolf) Ran of Grove City, PA, Cindy (Bill) Stone of Caldwell, NJ, and Beth (Andy) Scherlacher of Greensboro, NC; sisters in-law: Bevery (Ed) Delapp of Pineville, MO, Betty (Tom) Howes of Ogilvie, MN, and Bonnie (Tony) Malven of Cresco, IA; brothers in-law, Briant (Marcia) and Bill Russell of Boscobel; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; brother, Peter and sister in-law Marsha Thyren; his in-laws Paul and Harriet Russell; and brother in-law, Benjamin Russell.

Read the obituary

Photos

See all 79