Richard "Dick" Thissen

1944 - 2025

Kenyon - Richard L. Thissen died unexpectedly at his home on July 9, 2025. He was born on January 13, 1944, at the Waseca Hospital to Irene (Cahill) Thissen and Ignatius Thissen. The family of six children and their parents lived on a farm near Janesville until Ignatius was killed by a drunk driver in 1951. Irene then married Cliff Baynes in 1954, and the youngest brother soon joined the family. Sadly, Cliff died in 1960, but the family remained in the Waseca and Janesville area.

Dick graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1963. Following high school, he entered Madison Barber College in Rock Island, IL. When he completed his barber training, he began his career in Waseca and attended Mankato State University. In 1966, he met the woman who would later become his wife, who was teaching vocal music at the elementary schools in Waseca. Dick and Anna (Odegaard) Thissen were married on August 7, 1971, and moved to an apartment in Prior Lake, MN. They later moved to a home in Burnsville as Anna was teaching there at that time. Dick worked at the Southdale barbershop in Edina until they bought the barbershop and laundromat in Kenyon in 1974.

After several years in Kenyon, Dick and Anna contracted with American Family Insurance to sell their products. They later rescinded the contract with American Family and began to sell insurance with various companies independently. During this time their only child, Jennifer, was born. Dick sold insurance from the barbershop, Anna wrote the applications, and Jennifer played in her playpen either in the office or the barbershop. They bought the laundromat next door (yes, there were two laundromats next to each other then), combined the two laundromats in one space, and moved his barbershop next door. The two buildings became one.

In 1989, Dick and Anna purchased another pair of buildings and, with the help of a federal grant, turned an old dime store into a pizza place. A video rental store rented part of the space and the perfect business for the early 1990s was born: pizza on one side, video rentals on the other. Dick and Anna sold the restaurant and the building in 1998. Never one to let grass grow under his feet, Dick then worked several jobs as night security at various locations in and around Kenyon. Finally in the fall of 2008, he found the perfect job to combine with his barbershop. He began serving legal papers evenings and weekends and continued until his death.

Dick is survived by his wife of 54 years, Anna of Kenyon; daughter, Jennifer of Saint Paul; four brothers: Ray (Rosie) of Waseca, Tom (Dianne) of Janesville, Jerry of Newport Beach, CA, and Mike (Karen Heinke) Baynes of Prior Lake. Included in Dick's family are his sister-in-law, Romona Tjosvold of Mankato, his wife's only sibling, Ruth (David) Legvold of Northfield, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and stepfather; his brother, John; and his sister, Gayle.

A memorial service is being held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenyon, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Refreshments will follow the service. Dick will be laid to rest at Oaklawn Cemetery in Northfield, MN. Michaelson Funeral Home in Kenyon has been entrusted with arrangements.