Heaven became a little sweeter today, and the world a little lonelier for the family of Theron Alton Thurston, Sr. ("Joe"), age 83, of Southbury, as he passed through angels' arms into the cradle of heaven on September 12, 2010 at the Lutheran Home of Southbury. There he will reunite with the loved ones who went before him including his mother, Glenna Lorraine (Martin) Thurston, his father, Clarence Thurston, and his brother, Carl Thurston, Sr.

Joe will be remembered as a gentle and giving man who continually gave to others. He always made time to teach those who wanted to learn about his passions of gardening, farming, building, and more recently researching his family genealogy. His breadth of knowledge spanned from calculating challenging mathematical problems in his daily work to making homemade maple syrup, and from recapping even minor historical events in detail, to coaxing roses, African Violets, and Christmas cacti from near death to beautiful blooms.

Joe was born in Roxbury, Vermont on March 20th, 1927, the third son of Clarence and Glenna Thurston. In 1954, he married his love in a private ceremony in Sandgate, Vermont. He settled in Danbury, Connecticut with his new wife, Phebe Kathleen (Ramsey) Thurston of Walpole, New Hampshire and spent the rest of his life in the Danbury, New Milford, Oxford/Southbury areas. He spent the next 45 years working locally in construction as a carpenter. Through those years Joe started several companies including Daton Construction, Randston Builders, and most recently Quaker Log and Solar Homes based in Oxford, in which he acted as a dealer for both Lincoln Logs, Ltd. and Solar Additions. Joe built many homes throughout the area and always took pride in his craft. Joe retired and settled in Southbury with Phebe where he continued a family tradition of feeding hummingbirds and growing tomatoes. They joyfully celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2004 with a renewal of vows and a large gathering of family and friends.

Besides his loving and devoted wife, he is survived by one son, Theron Alton Thurston, Jr. of Riverside, California, four daughters and sons-in-law, Theresa A. Volinksi and her husband James of Gaylordsville, Mary-Ellen Alling and her husband William of Waterford, Pamela K. Lionetti and her husband Ted of Bethel, and Christine R. Sweeney and her husband Sean of Oxford. Joe was blessed with eight grandchildren including James Volinski III of Westerly, RI, Sarah Thurston Briney of Canon City, CO, Gregory Brown of Santa Monica, CA, Erin Lionetti of Bethel, Navy MA Ted Lionetti III of Silverdale, WA, and Shane, Chad, and Shannon Sweeney, of Oxford, CT. Joe was further blessed with two great-grandchildren, Nyla and Benjamin Briney of Canon City, CO. Joe is also survived by two brothers, Everett Thurston, Sr. and his wife Becky of Springfield, VT, Mervin Thurston of Kingman, Arizona and two sisters, Joyce Oliver and her husband John, of Rocky River, OH, and Pauline Louise Thurston Stein and her husband Richard, of New Fairfield, CT. Joe also leaves behind many, many loving brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Memorials: Donations in Joe's memory may be made to either National Kidney Foundation 2139 Silas Deane Highway Rocky Hill, CT 06067-2339 or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research Church Street Station P.O. Box 780 New York, NY 10008-0780.

Cemetery: Cemetery Not Applicable

Location: Munson-Lovetere Southbury

Funeral: New Fairfield Congregational Church

Services: Services for Joe will be private and at the family's convenience, however a public Celebration of Joe's life will be held Saturday, September 18th at 1 PM at the New Fairfield Congregational Church, 20 Gillotti Rd, New Fairfield, CT.

Visitation: There are no calling hours.