Egon Thiel

Mr. Egon Thiel - Profile 

Mr. Egon Thiel was 79 years old, and was born in Bornheim, by Bonn West Germany. His mother was named, Lina Elisabeth, father, Karl Heinrich. He had one brother I know of but was much older than Egon and lived in Germany. Egon arrived in New York with his family in 1954. He was about 9 or 10 years old when they came to America. His family settled in Chicago, IL. He told me he would play football in the street with the other kids, he was used to football (soccer) and our football wobbled everywhere and you couldn’t kick it. It took him a while to learn to play American football. After high school he joined the navy. He told me he got to see a lot of the world and beautiful exotic places on the ship he was on. After his service he went home to Chicago, his mother was glad to see him, but his father did not welcome him home. After that it’s not clear what he did, he was on his own. I do know he got a job at a large hospital in Chicago working in the print shop. That is where he learned to run a large 4-color offset press, which is quite a talent and he continued his career as a pressman through-out his life with other jobs too. In April this year he called and told me he had gotten knee replacement surgery in Springfield. I helped him get into the VA rehab in Murfreesboro, they treated him great and got him back on his feet. It was a very, very happy day when I got him home and he walked on his on back into his house. He was so happy to be home and start becoming Egon again. Unfortunately, a few months after he had recovered and doing very well, he fell outside and broke his hip, North Crest did surgery to repair his hip, three day later he died. 

Deborah 

I met (found) Egon early 1981 or so at Major Wallaby’s a restaurant/bar in Rivergate, Goodlettsville. It was our every Friday night happy hour spot then, we’d meet a group of friends there. This was definitely during Egon’s Zebra phase. He wore only black and white clothes, sometimes sported a black Zoro mask, silver jewelry, a hefty belt with several big shiny buckles attached, pointy toed boots, shirt unbuttoned, long blond curly hair. He was working at a good size print shop then. He told me about how he loved to take photos in black and white. He shared pictures of statues and memorials from Chicago and other cities shot in silhouette style, stark B&W prints he developed himself, again in his Zebra phase. As the years went by we turned partying into family and friends gathering for holidays and such and always included Egon to spice up the day. He always slipped out unannounced he did not like 30 people all saying goodbye. As our kids grew up and some moved away, we invited him for Thanksgiving and Christmas and every year he would come. Our family always celebrated and opened gifts on Christmas Eve but we started having a big breakfast on Christmas day with Egon. Egon would tell us stories about his family experience in Germany waiting for Father Christmas. They washed their socks and hung them outside so the Father could see they were clean and leave candy and gifts. He scared our kids by saying the bad kids were snatched up and never seen again! He gave Jameson and Bayley money and I gave him marzipan candy and a six pack of German beer he loved it. My brother and his wife (our neighbors) joined us for breakfast many, many years and Egon would tell us crazy stories about working in Atlanta as a pimp a lots of street stories. It was about 15 – 20 years ago he became Shiny, he had to have minor dental work and he decided to get a silver tooth. He made cards and declared to all he was now Shiny. He loved his little pup Sadie, she lived a long time, but he also had parrots, cockatiels, very exotic fancy goldfish in huge aquariums, they were beautiful. He also kept a big guard dog outside that was loyal to him and loved him. His last one BoDo, we have him now. He prided himself on getting a great deal on used cars he would keep a couple of years and get another great deal. He loved creating his tie-dyed tee shirts, sweatshirts, he must have had 50+ all different and beautiful designs. He would go to a big tie-dye party every year in Springfield, I think. He and his other hippie style friends and their families would camp, have bands play, and everyone made tie-dyed creations. In the past 5 years I would meet him for quick hellos when he had his VA medical visits in Nashville as it was right beside my office. He didn’t want to make the long drive for Christmas, so I mailed him or dropped off a little ham and candy. He was a creature of many personas, Egon, Zebra and Shiny. We loved him from the beginning all the way to the end. 

Dom 

Egon was an interesting fellow. He led a very colorful life and shared many stories with me over the years. He moved to the US as a young boy, served in the US Navy and attended the Million Man March and other civil rights protest in Chicago. He was a man of many talents and interests. From vinyl repair to the printing presses of Hatch Show Prints and Vanderbilt Medical Center, he was a hard worker and dedicated employee. Eeggy also enjoyed a good party and attended many tie-dye t-shirt gatherings where his creations were celebrated by all. He brought color and humor to the lives of all us lucky enough to have known him. I will miss his unique sense of style, his shiny silver tooth and free spirit. He lived life on his own terms Baby!! 

Jameson 

Egon, you mysterious man. We thought of you as a German Santa for many years. Always there on Christmas Day. Walking up the driveway in your custom outfit. Slipping us a 50 in a smooth handshake. Many years you were in our lives. And for those years we are thankful to have shared those Thanksgivings and Christmas’ as an extension of our family. Shine on Shiny. Thank you for being you. 

Bayley 

Egon will be remembered by all those who knew him as a warm presence, always dependable for a good laugh or some piece of advice that could only be conjured from living a life as unique and mysterious as his own. Any attempt to narrate Egon's time with us and the singular impact he left upon anyone who called him Zebra, Shiny, or by his name fall short, because even though his friendship, stories, and eccentricities gave his friends the distinct and potent feeling of knowing him, there was always something new - and sometimes astonishing - to learn about the man. To borrow some words from Hunter S. Thompson, Egon might possibly be remembered as: "One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." Egon carried a bold charisma everywhere he went, which was amplified by his Viking-like profile, unmistakable tie-dye and heavy belts, as well as an undeniable charm. He found great joy and solace in the simple things, and he did so, in part, by treating my brother and me like nephews - always looking to slide us a $50 or sneak a dirty joke just outside of our folks' earshot. Somehow, he found a soft place in his heart for the members of our family, and for that, we are grateful. It is an unequaled privilege to have known him, and we will honor Egon by keeping alive the memories and love shared with such a legendary friend. 

Sissie 

I always appreciated how Egon was at all times totally and unapologetically himselfwhatever identity he embraced. I especially remember seeing him at a gathering for the first time in a long while. I commented on his impressive silvery Texas-sized belt buckle. He told me it was his new trademark. He lounged against the bar, drink in hand, shirt unbuttoned almost to his waist - in all his European hippie glory- and announced he was now “Shiny”. He showed me the card he had printed with his new name - and he became Shiny! Always a character and always one of a kind. 

Angela 

Perennially upbeat and smiling, Egon was a kind and charismatic man who lit up a room when he entered. He would genuinely ask how you were then offer his well wishes with kindness, warmth, humor and love. Egon was fun. He’d sport jeans with a belt and a striking signature buckle. Egon was a consummate outdoorsman who shared his knowledge and wisdom generously. Egon had a Vikingesque persona. 

Kathy 

I remember seeing Egon at Rivergate mall with his beautiful mane of hair in black jeans, his shirt unbuttoned, the belt with the big buckle and his cowboy boots!! He loved to people watch!! He loved his little house out in country!! I remember him telling me about his bathtub out in his yard and he used to sit in it naked of course. My girls Nicole and Ashley loved him, they still talk about him making them balloon animals. God through away the mold when he created Egon!! Our family loved him so much!!! 

Mike 

These comments capture him perfectly. I do remember him calling everyone ‘baby’. And his Zebra business cards were great. He was definitely an original and the character we didn’t know we needed in our lives, but we are so fortunate that he was.