August A. Thieme Jr.

THIEME, August A. Jr. "I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God, it would be in a garden at the cool of the day." ~ F.F. Moore God visited August A. Thieme Jr., 83, in his Goochland, Virginia garden on the afternoon of May 22, 2010. They sat on his garden bench overlooking and admiring the waterfalls, the Japanese teahouse, the host of flowers, trees, and myriad homes for God's creatures that "Thieme" had spent years tending with love. As the sun began to set, Thieme accepted God's invitation to tend His heavenly garden, where he could also be reunited with Margaret, his loving wife of 56 years. Born November 10, 1926, son of August A. Thieme and Ethel H. Thieme, he is survived by one sister, Evelyn Thieme Coates of Palmyra, Va.; beloved niece, Kirkie Archer and husband, Johnny, of Chesterfield; two nephews, Harold J. Coates Jr. and wife, Joyce, of Louisa and Christopher T. Coates of Richmond; niece, Carol C. Sylvester and husband, John, of Richmond; lifelong railroad buddies, Bill McQuail, Claude Abernathy, and Bill McClure of Richmond; and a host of friends. Thieme truly lived life to the fullest. He served in the Navy on the U.S.S. Albany, was a chief chemist at Froehling and Robertson for over 50 years, volunteered many years on the Goochland Fire and Rescue Squad, was an accomplished author and photographer, having published The Norfolk and Western: As I Knew It!, and was a renowned expert on steam locomotives, sharing his expertise with other members of the Norfolk and Western Historical Society for over 50 years. He and his wife also raised and showed German Shepherds throughout their lives, were active members of Dover Baptist Church, and supporters of Maymont Park, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, and For the Love of Animals in Goochland (FLAG). Family will receive friends at the Parham Chapel, Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Road, on Wednesday, May 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. Services will be held at Dover Baptist Church, 635 Manakin Road, Manakin-Sabot, on Thursday, May 27 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, friends may wish to consider making a contribution to the Dover Baptist Church Building Fund or Goochland Fire and Rescue. Condolences may be offered at woodyfuneralhomeparham.com.



This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.