Thenen, Allan James June 19, 1933 - June 8, 2021 Born in New York City, Allan was the son of Solomon Thenen and Olga (Alice) Grushman Thenen. He attended P. S. 6, The Little Red School House / Elizabeth Irwin High School, and the Milford Academy in Connecticut. After a year at Allegheny College in 1953 Allan entered the U. S. Army and served in the Airborne Division. Upon discharge he attended Bard and Goddard Colleges followed by time working in ski resorts in Vermont, Killington the year it opened in 1958 and Mount Snow. In 1964 he began formal apprenticeship training in bookbinding at Howell North Books in Berkeley, CA and studied fine binding evenings in San Francisco. His interests turned to book and paper conservation, which he studied at the Boston Athenaeum, and he spent the rest of his life working as a conservator at the Northeast Document Conservation Center, the Boston Public Library, and in private practice in Massachusetts and Minnesota. As a young man he was athletic, loved acting, and frequented New York's jazz clubs starting when he was underage. Allan was relentlessly curious about all the world has to offer, reading constantly and never hesitating to try something new, especially food. He had a warm sense of humor and could chat easily with anyone. He passed away in Saint Paul, MN enveloped in the love of his family. Allan was predeceased by his first wife Shirley Warnock Thenen. He is survived by his second wife of 26 years Sherelyn Ogden, son Matthew (Caroline), daughter Anna Preiner (Matthew), and granddaughters Chelsea Johnson (Aaron) and Haley Preiner. A memorial service is being planned. The family would like to express deep thanks to Allan's caregivers at Saint Paul Peritoneal Dialysis and Regions Hospital and at home - Cate Heilmann, Claire Mortenson, and especially Heidi Duffy.

Published on June 13, 2021