Theodore David "T. David" David Thelen

Theodore David Thelen, “T. David”, passed peacefully at his home August 20, 2026, with his beloved wife, Celene, by his side, after a courageous and graceful battle with cancer.

David was born July 14, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois, to Donald and Marguerite Thelen. He graduated with honors from the University of Virginia, both undergraduate and law school.

He began his law career working with the American Civil Liberties Union and, in 1974, came to Lovingston to begin his over 50 year legal career as a “country lawyer”, a profession he adored. He and Sam D. Eggleston, Jr. established Eggleston & Thelen, P.C., a highly respected law firm of which he was extremely proud, later welcoming Sam Eggleston, III, and Anthony D. Martin to the firm. David loved all of the attorneys, secretaries, court clerks and staff and real estate agencies with whom he worked and considered them “part of the family”. He devoted himself to providing the best honest counsel to his clients, scores of whom became dear friends. Though having participated in numerous criminal and civil cases, David’s main focus and love was real estate. As Wintergreen Resort came into existence and grew, Eggleston & Thelen became the trusted law firm offering professional and expert handling the real estate needs of clients purchasing property at the resort with David becoming the go-to expert for all things regarding real estate at Wintergreen. Over the past decade, his office moved to the Tan Bark Building and he and Celene ran the practice just down the hall from the law office of his dear friend, Tom Berry, and his staff, with whom he shared many lively discussions and lots of love and laughter. He devoted himself to his practice until the last days of his life. David will be remembered for his brilliant legal mind, his keen wit, his sweet grin and his famous seersucker suits!

David loved his Lord and lived his faith every day. He was a member of Nelson United Methodist Church and previously a member of Rock Spring United Methodist Church, having served on the Board for many years and teaching Sunday School. He strove to live his life guided by a paraphrase of the quote said to be from St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel; use words if necessary”. He lived as a testament to the power of forgiveness and the profound grace of gratitude.

David believed deeply in community service. He served on the Board and as counsel to the Lovingston Volunteer Fire Department, the Faber Volunteer Fire Department and the Nelson County Rescue Squad.

Aside from his legal practice, David was a true Renaissance Man. Even though he was dedicated to the law, he had an engineer’s and architect’s brain, designing a home and an office with solar energy, one of the first in Nelson County. He was an amateur photographer and dabbled in writing poetry. He loved cooking and he and Celene enjoyed many hours reading cookbooks and trying out new recipes in their farm house kitchen to share with family and friends. He loved hosting gatherings at their home, but especially at Christmas, joyfully placing the Christmas tree in the big bay window to share the spirit of the season with all who passed by. He was an avid reader and music lover. Most of all, David was a master story teller. He delighted in sharing his love of his life and his adopted county in stories about the people he loved so deeply. He truly believed living in Nelson County, with its beauty and the beautiful people who inhabit it, was his “heaven on Earth”. His grandparents brought him on a visit to Virginia in his early youth and he always said he fell in love with this part of the country at that moment, vowing to return to attend the University of Virginia and establish his home. He always felt that, though he was born in Illinois, he was truly a Virginian and Nelsonian at heart and got here as quickly as he could.

David was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Karen, and by his father in law and mother in law, Claude and Doris Johnson, and by his nephew, Todd B. Dellk.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Celene, his children, Sean Clarkson of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Adrienne Bell of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, James and Eva Clarkson of Hillsborough, North Carolina, T. J. and Jessie Kidd of Amherst, Virginia, Jason Thelen of Atlanta, Georgia, Jay and Erika Fennell of Free Union, and Luke and Erin Thelen of Charlottesville, brothers Mark and Michael Thelen, his best friend, William E. “Bunk” Dawson, II, and his brothers and sisters in law, Kitty Winkworth of New Jersey, Bar and Doris Delk of Lovingston, Don and Wendy Taylor of Afton and Pete and Dana Johnson of Toano, two nieces and two nephews, all of whom he loved dearly.

Though David held many titles during his lifetime, that of son, brother, husband, father, attorney and counselor, his most treasured title and the title of which he was most proud was that of Grandaddy to his much adored grandchildren, Ava Clarkson, Nathan Kidd, Maggie Campbell, Leah Kidd, Lennox Harris, Cathren Clarkson, Grace Clarkson, Julio Fennell, Jed Fennell, Jacob Thelen and Matthew Thelen,

The family would like to graciously thank the staff of Hospice of the Piedmont, Dr. Robert Stokes and staff, Dr. J. Mark Pritchard and the staff of the Oncology Department of Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, all of the staff who lovingly cared for David at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital during his many hospitalizations and all of the family and friends who have provided so many acts of kindness during his illness, especially T. J. Kidd, his son-in-law by name, but his son in his heart, without whom he could not have passed with the dignity T. J. allowed him to have. David told everyone that the love and grace of the people who have been so kind to him gave Lovingston its name. He loved you all. The world is a better place for having had T. David in it.

Visitation with the family will be held from 6-8 p.m., Saturday, August 29, at Wells Sheffield Funeral Chapel in Lovingston. 

The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., August 30, at Rock Spring Methodist Church in Faber, with Rev. Edwin Clever and Rev. William E. Dawson, II officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway Ste 300, Charlottesville, VA 22911 or the Faber Volunteer Fire Department, 8207 Irish Road, Faber, VA 22938 or the Lovingston Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 6, Lovingston, VA 22949 in David’s name.

Arrangements by Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel, Lovingston (434-263-4907).