Brandon James Thibeau was born at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine on August, 1, 1994. He left us, all too soon on February 1, 2017 at the age of 22. Brandon had valiantly fought advanced neuroendocrine cancer for the past two years.
Brandon was an avid outdoorsman who was dedicated to his mother Jane, father Rick, sister Katie and the love of his life, his fiancée Lindsay Nunley of Gray. He was also dedicated to his many friends who found him to be an extraordinary person in terms of loyalty, caring, compassion, courage, empathy and determination.
As Jane Thibeau said of her son, “People looked up to him because he was hard working, generous and always thinking about others before himself.” His parents refer to his fiancée Lindsay Nunley as “The love of his life.” adding, “He taught her about the wonders of the outdoors as she taught him about unconditional love against all odds.” Lindsay speaks of Brandon’s character and says, “He just did everything with such compassion and with such strong willpower,” adding that throughout his courageous battle he never felt sorry for himself.
His extended loving family also includes the men and women of the Cumberland, Maine and North Yarmouth, Maine fire departments where he was an active firefighter.
Continuing the theme of Brandon’s courage and selflessness Cumberland Fire Chief Daniel Small said, “He would have become and officer because of his hard work. He would have been that firefighter that we can depend on getting the job done with excellence and with humility.” Chief Small went on to say that the Cumberland Fire Department membership voted unanimously to name Brandon as the 2016 Cumberland Firefighter of the Year because everyone believes that he earned that honor. Cumberland Fire Department Captain Jason Copp worked often with Brandon and said, “He was a great kid, his heart was bigger than his body and he was the hardest working kid I ever met. Toward the end I came over to his house and I opened my wallet and told him we could go anywhere and do anything he wanted that day, he just smiled and told me what he really wanted was for me to help make sure his parents are taken care of. You don’t see that in kids nowadays, where did we lose that piece of family connection we had?”
Cumberland Firefighters Ryan Pynchon and Megan Morgan said in a statement to firefighters,” For those of you who knew Brandon, no explanation is necessary to describe the type of person he was. Whether you were a lifelong friend or just met him in passing, he treated everyone with the utmost respect and compassion. He was taken from us too soon and will be missed by everyone who knew him, all the people whose lives he touched, and the extended fire department family. Despite his battle with cancer Brandon still fought and succeeded in earning his degree in Fire Science from Southern Maine Community College. SMCC Fire Science Department Chair Steve Willis remembers Brandon as, “A very special young man who showed his specialness every day. He was a great team player and had the highest character. We are in mourning but we celebrate what he brought us in a short time.”
Jane and Rick agreed that toward the end of his journey Brandon focused on trying to reassure them, his fiancée and friends that they should not dwell in sadness when he passed. Jane said, “It’s nice that so many people loved him and nice to think Rick and I did it right, because of all this amazing love for him. My kids are my life and we’ve been so proud of him every step of the way.”
Brandon leaves behind, his parents, Richard and Jane Thibeau of Cumberland. His sister, Kathryn of Cumberland. His chocolate lab puppy, Gunner who he just recently purchased a few weeks before his passing that brought him great comfort, his loving financee, Lindsay Nunley and her parents, John and Stacy Nunley of Gray and Brother Lance Nunley of Gray, Grandfather, Albert Thibeau of Portland, Uncle Brian Thibeau of Portland, Uncle Bruce and Jackie Thibeau of Fort Myers, Florida. Uncle Garth and Deanna Bailey of Westbrook and Uncle Kevin and Deana Bailey of Houlton, Maine, Aunt Sandra Boyle of Greene, Maine, Great Uncle and Great Aunt, Edward and Donna Thibeau of Scarborough, Great Aunt, Ruthie Bachelder of Thomaston, Great Aunt, Connie Brink of Falmouth, Great Aunt Ione Rush and Great Uncle Alan Rush of Dover Foxcroft, Great Aunt Connie Gibson of Saint John, New Brunswick, Great Aunt Hersa Stockford and Uncle Richard Stockford of Ottawa, Ontario, Great Uncle Melvin Brink of South Paris, Great Uncle Kenny Brink of Buxton, there were numerous cousins and friends who enriched Brandon’s life.
The family would like to invite you to celebrate Brandon’s life during visiting hours held between 5 and 8 pm on Monday February 6 at the Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A funeral service will be held at the Congregational Church in Cumberland at 282 Main Street at 1pm on Tuesday February 7, 2017.
Burial will be May 19, 2017 at 10am at Blanchard Cemetery in Falmouth, ME
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Cumberland Fire Department at 366 Tuttle Road in Cumberland, Maine 04021, or the North Yarmouth Fire Department at 483 Walnut Hill Road in North Yarmouth, Maine 04097.
You may share your stories or offer your condolences at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18