Matthew Thierer

Matthew J. Thierer, a lifelong nurseryman who was sales manager at Valley View Farms in Cockeysville, died Tuesday of a heart attack at Howard County General Hospital. The Ellicott City resident was 53.

Mr. Thierer, the son of a career Army officer, was born in Stuttgart, Germany. He attended schools in Berlin, Germany, and Monterey, Calif., before moving to Linthicum with his family in 1964.

He was a 1972 graduate of Mount St. Joseph High School in Irvington, and earned a bachelor's degree in engineering science from Loyola College in 1976.

When he was 15, Mr. Thierer began selling produce and flowers along Ritchie Highway for J & K Produce in Glen Burnie.

While attending Loyola College, he continued selling roadside produce and Christmas trees.

In the late 1970s, he went to work for and later became a partner at Garland's Garden Center at Johnnycake Road and Ingleside Avenue in Catonsville.

"He really was the backbone of Garland's and instrumental in what it became. He had vision and carried the weight of the place," said Gary L. Blondell, who had worked with Mr. Thierer at Garland's and is now the owner of Gary's Gardens in Severna Park.

"I owe a lot to Matt for my success," he said.

Mr. Thierer managed to transform Garland's from a street-side enterprise into a million-dollar operation and garden center, said a brother, James M. Thierer of Towson.

When Garland's suffered a devastating fire in 1983, Mr. Thierer swung into action.

"With the ashes still smoking, Matt was surveying the damage and on the phone with Watson's and Valley View Farms' owners and other suppliers about getting the business back up," said James Thierer.

"Despite the fire, Thanksgiving flowers were delivered on time."

In 2001, Mr. Thierer went to work at Valley View Farms as sales manager and co-manager of the garden shop.

"He was very outgoing and would help anybody. He was very knowledgeable and always there to give advice," said Brian Brannan, who was co-manager of the department with Mr. Thierer.

Carrie Engel, Valley View Farms' retail greenhouse manager, worked with Mr. Thierer for eight years.

"Matt helped develop our point of sales system and was a regular MacGyver when it came to technological issues. He loved gardening tools and enjoyed showing folks how to use them. He exuded kindness and patience," Ms. Engel said.

"He enjoyed setting up our Halloween tunnel and making it real scary. He took a lot of pleasure in that," she said. "If you had an idea, he'd go with it and make it work in a retail setting."

Mr. Blondell described him as having the "patience of a saint."

"There was nothing that Matt wouldn't do for somebody," he said. "You could always depend upon him to find a solution."

He added: "He was a real gentle giant."

Mr. Thierer was active in Scouting and served as den leader of Cub Scout Pack 361. He was an active supporter of Boy Scout Troop 944.

The longtime Ellicott City resident enjoyed working on his computer and home improvement projects.

He was a communicant of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, 3755 St. Paul St., in Ellicott City, where a Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. today.

Also surviving are his wife of 22 years, the former Denise Grabowski; two sons, Christopher M. Thierer and Timothy P. Thierer, both of Ellicott City; a daughter, Julie M. Thierer of Ellicott City; his mother, Catherine B. Thierer of Linthicum; three other brothers, Kenneth P. Thierer of Glen Burnie, Andrew P. Thierer of Ellicott City and George J. Thierer of Bel Air; two sisters, Mary K. Thierer of Marriottsville and Barbara Nypaver of Middle River; and many nieces and nephews.

fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com

Related topic galleries: Linthicum, Sales, Religious Leaders, Severna Park, House and Home, Glen Burnie, Heart Disease

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