John Garland Thayer, age 85, died Monday, March 30, 2015 at the Johnson City Medical Center. A resident of Gray, Tennessee since 2012, he was a well-known educator, and United Methodist Pastor. He served Washington College Academy as Dean from 1968-1982, and thereafter worked as administrator or teacher in the public schools of Washington County Tennessee: Fall Branch, 1982-83; Jonesborough Middle School, 1983-85; Gray Elementary, 1985-91; and West View, 1991-94. Mr. Thayer retired from teaching in 1994. From 1987 until 1997, he served the United Methodist Church as Pastor at Liberty Hill and Milburnton in Greene County (7 years) and Vincent United Methodist Church in Washington County (3 years). In 1998 he became Visitation Minister at First United Methodist Church in Johnson City, a position he held until his death.
Prior to moving to Tennessee in 1968, Mr. Thayer was principal of Hayter’s Gap School near Saltville, Virginia, and from 1956-59, was pastor of the Rich Valley United Methodist Church that resulted, under his leadership, from the merger of Bethany, Glenford, Lowland, and Wesley Chapel Methodist Churches north of Abingdon.
Mr. Thayer was also the co-founder and the executive director of the Progressive Community Club (now People Inc.), the first rural community action agency east of the Mississippi authorized to expend Federal Funds under the provisions of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. For this work he was nominated for the Lane Bryant Community Service Award in 1967.
Mr. Thayer was a graduate of Berea College, East Tennessee State University Graduate School of Education, and Boston University School of Theology. He also did studies in Community Development at Temple University, and held a Doctor of Divinity Degree from American Holistic Institute.
He is the author of a Thayer Family History, a pamphlet “101 Questions and Answers about the Constitution” published as a Bicentennial project in 1976, and a book of inspirational poems and stories-Moments of Mystery and Wonder-published in 2010 by Vantage Press, NY.
A member of Tau Kappa Alpha Honor Society, a long-time Ruritan member, and a former Kiwanian, he held many positions and achieved various honors. He was active in community development and in work with youth at Mowglis Summer Camp for boys in New Hampshire. (1952-1955 and 1960-1962), in 4-H Club, soil conservation, and Boy Scouts. He was listed in Virginia Lives (1964); Community Leaders of America (1968); the 1776-1976 Bicentennial History of Washington County Virginia (1977), Families of Washington County and Bristol, Virginia, 1776-1976 (1996), and in the Holston United Methodist Conference Journal (1956-1959) and (1987 to the present).
Mr. Thayer lived with his wife, Jean Curtis Thayer, in the West View Community of Washington County from 1968 until moving to the Gray Community in 2012.
He was a son of the late Thomas Clifton Thayer and Lola Broyles Thayer of Abingdon, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents, and four siblings, Hazel, Edward, James, and William. Survivors include his wife, Jean, twin sons Travis and Trygve Thayer and their wives respectively, Penny Ritter Thayer of Johnson City and Tracy Reynolds Thayer of Lexington, South Carolina; a daughter Laura Thayer Evans and her husband Mike Evans of Johnson City, Tennessee and son, David Garland Thayer and his wife Valerie Going Thayer of Knoxville, Tennessee. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Austin and Lindsay Thayer, Jennifer and Michael Thayer, David Evans and Braden and Brooke Thayer. Other family survivors include a sister Ellaree of Abingdon, Virginia, a brother Donald and his wife Eleanor of Abingdon, a brother David Kyle of Hopewell, Virginia and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted 7:00 pm Friday, April 3, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church of Johnson City with Rev. Jane Taylor, Dr. Angus Shaw and Bishop Richard Looney officiating. The family will receive friends from 4:00-7:00 pm Friday prior to the service.
Interment services will be conducted 11:00 am Saturday, April 4, 2015 at Knollkreg Memorial Park in Abingdon, Virginia.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy Thayer, Jamerson Thayer, Mark Orfield, Dwane Orfield, Robert Purvis, Calvin Purvis, Kevin Thayer and Donne Faulkner.