Edward Miller Thayer Jr., husband of 43 years of Brenda Thayer, died July 7, 2023. The Thayer family, former residents of Hancock Park, shared this obituary with the Buzz.
Edward Miller Thayer, Jr., 73, of Rancho Mirage, CA, passed away peacefully at home on July 7, 2023, after a long illness.
Ed, the youngest of four children, was born on December 25, 1949 to Edward Miller Thayer and Carolyn Thayer (Warner) in Cincinnati, OH. In 1968, he graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy; in 1972, he earned a BA from Occidental College, followed by an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1974.
Following graduate school, Ed returned to the Los Angeles area, where he met his wife, Brenda, at All Saints Beverly Hills and settled in Hancock Park to raise his family. He spent his thirty-year career with global insurance broker Marsh & McLennan, where he would become the company’s then-youngest Managing Director. He retired in 2005. Ed was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle.
Ed was an avid sports fan who held reverence for his beloved Cincinnati Reds. He traveled the world and loved his adventures with his family most of all. Ed had many interests including films, wine (particularly California Pinot Noir), photography, and animals. He was devout in his faith and was an active member of the Episcopal church. Ed found great joy in volunteering at St. Margaret’s Church, Eisenhower Hospital, the Palm Springs Film Festival, and the Living Desert and Zoo, where he was a beloved tour guide and friend to all animals.
Ed is survived by his wife of forty-three years, Brenda, sons Edward Miller Thayer III (Sally) of Houston, TX, and James Rawson Thayer (Lauren) of Tiburon, CA; sisters Ellen Thayer Vahan of Brentwood, CA; Carolyn Thayer Codinha (Bill) of Boston, MA; grandchildren, Charlotte Thayer and Cameron Thayer of Tiburon, CA; and many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
He is predeceased by his parents, Edward and Carolyn, and his sister Mary Thayer Mickam of Cincinnati, OH.
A memorial service is planned for the fall, with a private burial to be held later at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, CA. Donations in Ed’s honor may be directed to The Living Desert and Zoo.
