Bryan Duncan Thayer

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, October 15, 2016, at Community Heights Alliance Church in Newton. A coffee time and time of fellowship will follow.  In lieu of flowers, memorials to Go Light Our World may be left at the church on the day of the service, or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. If mailing, please add, “Attn: Thayer Family” to the envelope.

On August 26th, after a valiant battle against Leukemia, Bryan Duncan Thayer, 64, a completely imperfect yet fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and witness to God’s endless love, amazing grace, and life changing power, graduated from this life to heaven—his greatest dream—where he awaits family and friends, not because he was good, but because God is good.

He leaves behind—for a short while—his beloved wife, Marcia Stookey Thayer; four amazing children: Jenny Thayer (Eric) Schumacher of Ames, Daniel (Jen) Thayer of Swisher, Peter Thayer of Des Moines, and Michael (Mia) Thayer of Jochiwon, South Korea; cherished grandchildren: Autumn, Caleb, Kallie, Christopher, Chloe, Sophia, Jonathan, Abigail, and Harper Thayer, and Josiah, Micah, Elijah, Ella, and Judson Schumacher; devoted mother, Joyce Conley of Cedar Rapids; brother, Bruce Thayer of Iowa City; sisters: Edith (Erick) Kadlec of Columbia Heights, MN, Elizabeth (Bruce) Ray of Cedar Rapids, and Jane Maxey of El Paso, TX; nieces, Jeanna Kadlec and Johanna Kadlec; nephews, Colin (Emma) Ray and Ian Ray; brother-in-law, Larry (Dianne) Stookey; and loving friends across the world.

Bryan acknowledged his most notable accomplishment was persuading Marcia to become his wife; his most amazing moments, the miraculous births of his beloved children. Bryan’s most cherished possession was the forgiveness and grace of God. He was a caring teacher and advocate for people with special needs, especially the poor and oppressed. Bryan served as an elder and member of Community Heights Alliance Church. He was co-founder of Go Light Our World, sharing the truth and grace of Jesus by feeding the hungry and helping the poor. His life goal was to live life fully as God intended, with purpose and passion.

Bryan is preceded in death by his unborn children and grandchildren; his father, John Thayer; and dad, Ellsworth Maxey.

Our comfort lies in this truth: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”  John 11:25.

 Service Information